"If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

He always stands for justice for He Himself is just.

"But unto the Son he saith, 'Thy throne, Oh God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Hebrews 1:8

After the end of this long and troublesome incident as I was thinking about how God had helped me and done everything for me, I asked myself "Is there anything that I could do for Him?" Of course, in my heart I already knew the answer. Now that He had helped me I knew that there was one important thing remaining for me to do in my life. Although I believed in Jesus and knew Him, I had not yet personally made my commitment to accept Him into my life as I had understood I should do and in the way He had asked everyone who believes in Him to do. This was through baptism by immersion in water.

"If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour." St. John 12:26

I had always understood baptism by immersion preceded by faith to be an important step in one's life; in fact, the most important. I had lacked the courage to take the final step before. Something was always holding me back. I gave myself many reasons and excuses why I should not make my decision just then and also thought that there was plenty of time for it. I always said to myself that I could do it later, at a more convenient time for me. Now, however, it seemed that God, through this incident, by doing so much for me that was quite impossible to understand, had also given me the courage that I needed. I had also understood that what had happened had been a warning of the seriousness of the times we lived in, and that there might not be room to delay one's decision for a more convenient time.

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." St. John 1:12

It was the least I could do and it was the only thing He wanted me to do. He was my friend and He wanted me to be His friend, trust, love and follow Him fully.

"Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you." St. John 15:14

I knew that I must be baptised before we left India where all these 'wonderful' things had taken place. About two weeks before we were due to leave Bangalore I asked a friend to inquire from the church whether I could be baptised before leaving. My request was considered in a committee meeting. I was told that one committee member had been opposed to my being baptised so quickly on the grounds that I had had no Bible studies in the church and was doubtful about whether I was really ready for baptism. On being assured by others of my background in the church, it was accepted that I could be baptised. I was due to be baptised on the following sabbath day.

I began getting ready for the event in my mind, going through it and thinking of its deepest meanings in the Christian faith.

"Know ye not that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:3-4

I felt deeply about it and was looking forward to it with great earnest of mind, pondering its meanings and promises. On the Friday afternoon I received a message from the church to say that the water from the tap from which they filled the baptismal tank had stopped flowing. I was told that they would have to order a tanker-load of water for me as a result. I thought at that moment that perhaps I was not yet meant to be baptised. I told the messenger that there was no need to book the tanker to bring the water just for me.

Later that evening I got another message from the church telling me that the water had started flowing again. It would be possible for me to be baptised the next day. This was truly remarkable.

The next morning, on the Sabbath, I went to church accompanied by Joanna. After being introduced and my background given to the congregation, the pastor asked me why I wanted to be baptised. All I could say was "For what God has done for me." When I had gone through the immersion baptism I truly felt what the Bible tells of it as burying the old self and getting a new life in Jesus Christ. I strongly believed this meaning.

After congratulating me, the pastors left the church for another meeting. I had just sat down and was thinking of the solemnity of this event when suddenly there was a tremendous sound, like a crack of thunder, inside the church. It came from above near the ceiling. It was awesome. It was a clear sunny day. The sound had not come from outside. It had been loud and clear and had come from above, inside the church. Everyone was looking around and wondering.

Whatever anyone else may have thought the sound to be, I do not know if they understood it to be the same as I knew it to be. Joanna was on the balcony and said immediately to her neighbour "Is there another earthquake coming?" But it was not. It was like the sound of thunder. I understood the voice of thunder to be a sound from God showing His presence, saying to all assembled and to me in particular, a true Amen.

After the baptism we went with some other family members for a farewell lunch given for us by one of Jacob's uncles. My sister-in-law was wondering why I was now wearing different clothes from the morning when I had left the house. I told her that I had been baptised and had changed my wet clothes. She was surprised and asked me if I had not been baptised as a baby. I told her that that was not a real baptism since I had not been conscious of what had been done. Neither could I believe then, as I had not yet heard the Word.

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" Romans 10:14

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17

As an infant, I had been in an 'unconscious state of mind' and could make no decision as to what I should believe. I did not think that others could decide on my behalf what I should believe. As the Bible teaches, baptism can only be by personal choice, belief and faith. So faith and baptism, in Biblical terms, cannot be divided into separate events and must be accepted personally, or else it is meaningless.

God spoke to me in the language that He knew I would understand. And I did. I do not know what others go through in baptism and after it, but to me it was an incredible experience. As soon as I was baptised I received as a gift from God a tremendous feeling of love towards all people regardless of who or what they may be. I have always felt sympathy and empathy towards suffering of all kinds, in both people and animals. Now I felt so strongly as I had never felt it before. I knew that it was not possible for a true follower of Christ, to harm anybody on purpose, under any conditions. That is the effect of the love of God. It is simply impossible to hate anyone and to have enemies. Jesus wanted to free me from the bondage of my own self, of trying to run my life by myself though believing in Him, but without commitment to Him.

During those years of struggle I used to get courage from several Bible verses. Especially close to me was:

"Let not your heart be troubled. Ye that believe in God believe also in me." St. John 14:1

He gave me the courage to take the most important step in the direction of eternal life and union between God and Man. He gave me the strength that I lacked to take the decision to choose Him. It is important to understand that it really was His choice for me which I only had to accept.

"Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:.." St. John 15:16

Man's natural choice is the opposite, his own way, which is death.

"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." I Thessalonians 4:16-17

He led me in such a wonderful way and offered me life in His love and mercy and showed how far He is ready to go towards saving a single human soul. It shows how great His love is towards a human being. He talks to each one of us in the unique language He knows that we understand. He talks and pleads with us, shows us the way, but He never forces us to choose Him. And His love never gets less for giving it. There is as much of it available as we are ready to receive. His love never ends.

It is left to the reader to arrive at his or her conclusion of the events related here. This is an account of the events written as experienced and interpreted by me. I know who my Redeemer is and that He lives. I also believe in His promise that He will return soon to receive His own and free, once and for all, all who believe in Him, from the bondage of sin from the 'snake', the devil, who hid in paradise and has infested the earth with its forces of Hell. One has to tread carefully, watching every step, and always be ready to encounter the enemy with the help of God through His Holy Spirit.

After all the legal obstacles were removed and I was free to go, Jacob had to wind up his work and business and be ready to travel. Although I was very happy to get back my passports and was now able to travel anywhere, I was very sad to leave my home and life in India. If I could have reversed those two things I would have. Everything would have been perfect. But I accepted the situation and knew we had committed ourselves too far to change anything. I trusted that there was a purpose and a meaning for us to start our lives somewhere else. It was not for us to know then, but time would reveal His will and it has.

"I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation." Psalm 118:21