THE SEASONS AND SONGS OF MY LIFE
(My Personal Testimony of God’s Saving Grace)
Ecc 3:1, 11 To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens: He has made everything beautiful in His time...
Life has many seasons and only God is able to make everything beautiful in His perfect time. My name is Randy Bataanon and this is my personal testimony of God’s saving grace.
It was a sunny day of April while the sun is at peak on the coconut farm when a series of bemoaning from a poor woman join the choruses of birds singing on the nearby trees. After a succession of groan and sigh, a voice of a new born child echoed on the small nipa hut. Yes a baby boy was born but there is no local midwife or anyone to help the mother who gave birth to a child alone.
Poverty and toil is how to describe the place. The Barrio was located about 10 kilometers away from the town, no concrete road and travelling is possible only by foot or by motorized boat. The barrio is located between the mountainous area and Pacific Ocean, about hundred kilometers south of Manila, the country capital. The place is called Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Mauban Quezon, Philippines the place where I was born.
I. THE SEASON OF SEARCHING FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE
Song: Note to God
Luk 5:31-32 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
It is malaria out break and almost every member of our family has been infected. It’s not long ago, that our youngest and 9th of the siblings died. I feel tired and drowsy but I can’t sleep. It is like I’m dreaming but I’m still awake. I tried to alleviate the pain by groaning but still I know the possibility that I’m dying. I wonder what life is after death. The thought of leaving my family, the fear of eternity and the millions of questions flooded my thought. I gathered all the remaining strength on my body and shouted as loud as I can – God, if you are real please save my family!
I gave up the last hope in my thought and prepared to die. The fever is burning and pain is blanketing my whole body. I felt the gentle touch of cold cloth from my forehead and all over my body. I know my mother is always there to be my nurse. But this time, It is like the hand of God. For I suddenly felt the relief, fever goes away, and the body pain is gone. God must be listening to the prayer of a young child. He must be paying attention to our own version of “Note to God”. By then, I sense the indescribable peace and I started to sleep.
II. THE SEASON OF FINDING GRACE FROM THE MERCY OF GOD
Song: I don’t know why Jesus loves me
Tit 3:3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us.
Tit 3:4 But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love.
Tit 3:5 He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.
My early life is full of envy. I envy those rich people who can buy plenty of food for their family. I envy those students carrying a school bags and brand new uniforms. If there’s one thing that those children were envious of us, it is our sound mind. Though we have hungry stomach but our brains work well. We are the valedictorians in our Barrio Schools. Hence in spite of our grinding poverty, every mother in our Barrio wishes that their child is like us. I made a vow; I am going to use this brain to escape from this kind of life.
My eldest sisters and I need to transfer to town to pursue studying in high school. There we met Christians who show us the gospel of Jesus Christ. My sister became addicted joining their bible studies and our parent became furiously angry. They warned her to avoid going to bible study and I was charged to report to them once my sister still continue joining those Christians.
My task of spying transformed my life forever. As I secretly following my sister on the bible study, I heard the gospel of Jesus Christ for the very first time. I cannot forget the words from the mouth of the preacher saying: Jesus loves you that he gave up heaven and became poor so that you may become rich in God! He endured the cross and gave up His life on earth so that you may receive eternal life in heaven! Today if you will repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ I invite you to surrender your life to Jesus and make Him the Lord of your life!
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of 13 begun preaching about Jesus at the age of 14 and I continue this faith until now. Later, we are able to share the gospel of Jesus to our whole family and they too accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives. Pastors and missionaries visited our Barrio and explain to us further the way of salvation. Until now, I still don’t know why Jesus loves me that he pay attention to a poor boy like me.
III. THE SEASON OF BLESSING AND TRANSFORMATION
Song: He touch me
Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
At a very young age, I felt the call of God to serve Him, and I choose to obey God’s call. I entered Bible School and forget about my dream of becoming successful person to liberate my family from the slavery of poverty. But God has a plan for our family, while I was given to God as an offering by our family, the Lord bless my family in His own different way. All of my four sisters were able to get a good and decent job in Kuwait though they were not able to graduate from college. We were not only able to escape from poverty, but we became rich in Jesus spiritually
Today, I am now living with my own family here in Kuwait. My wife is working in the ministry hospital while I was working in private company. We are happily serving the Lord who is great and mighty to save. I will never stop telling the world how the Lord touched and changed me.
1Sa 2:7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
1Sa 2:8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honour. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world.
