40 years on...by faith, moment by moment

Forty years ago, the 20 August 1972 was a Sunday.  Where I was, in Annalong, Co. Down, it was a sunny Sunday.  A young minister, not long into his first charge, was giving a talk to a group of 50 or so young people from Belfast as they sat on his lawn outside his house.  His name was Desmond McCreery and he was the Rector of Annalong Parish.  His talk was based around the first question God asked as we have it in the Bible:  "Adam, where are you?" (Genesis 3:9).  

I don't remember the details of what he said, but I do clearly remember thinking afterwards that because of my sin, I was lost from God and that God had sent Jesus to find me, rescue me from sin and judgement and bring me back home to Himself.  The pieces of the Gospel that had been shared with me by friends all throughout that Summer, were falling into place in my mind and heart.
Whether I became a Christian that day, I can't remember.  In reality, I don't know.  Only eternity will tell.  Certainly by the Autumn, I was going to young people's meetings, attending Bible studies, enjoying church a bit more! etc, etc.  My life had changed:  its direction, its priorities, its activities all different, now focused - with so much learning, understanding, repenting and believing to do - on Jesus.  And it is certainly only the preserving, merciful, sufficient and sustaining grace of Christ that has held onto me these past 40 years.  To Him, be all the thanks, praise, adoration and worship!
Although I didn't begin to understand the richness of the Gospel until much, much later, Francis Schaeffer's own testimony echoes what to me in past years has been the source of much wonder and joy in my life - even throughout these past few, very difficult years: 

“I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith;  that is justification.  The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment.  There is the same base (Christ’s work)  and the same instrument (faith); the only difference is that one is once for all and the other is moment by moment…If we try to love the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, He will be our song.  That is the difference.  The ‘how’ of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith moment by moment.” 

HT: Graced Again (20 August 2012)