AN ENLIGHTENING ENCOUNTER WITH OUR SAVIOR
RAJ & SULAKSHANA NAGI, Atlanta GA
"THUS
SAYS THE LORD,THE KING OF ISRAEL, AND HIS REDEEMER, THE LORD OF HOST:I
AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST; BESIDE ME THERE IS NO GOD. (ISAIAH 44;6)
I
was born and brought up in a brahmin family. My mother was a very
devout hindu. Every morning I could hear her chant mantras and worship
her gods. I was brought up with the belief that my good works were the
key to eternity. My father also believed in God but he was a silent
worshiper. In 1989 I married my husband against all odds and opposition
from my family and my husbands family due to the fact that my husband
was a kshatriya and not brahmin. Unfortunately, I very soon realized
that the man I married was not really the man I had loved. He turned
out to be an alcoholic, womanizer and there was actually nothing good
in him. I was devastated and had no where to turn to for help. I
started praying to my gods, fasting and went to the temple regularly in
the hope that my husband will one day be the man that I really married.
But I saw no changes in him that could make him a better person. We
continued to live together like strangers and this went on for 7 years.
In October of 1996 my husbands life time dream came
true when he got visa to come to the US. After he arrived in Atlanta
(USA),he started working in an indian store where an Indian Pastor
would buy grocery and would casually talk to my husband. One day out of
nowhere my husbands boss told him that he was being fired and he did
not need to come to work the next day .My husband panicked, he knew
nobody and had no one to turn to for help. As God had everything
planned, the same Indian Pastor(Pastor Avinash Raiborde) came to the
store that very day and saw that my husband was vary sad. He asked him
the reason of his sadness. My husband responded that he was in big
trouble. The Pastor offered to pray for my husband. He took my husband
to his car and prayed for him. At the end of the prayer the pastor said
"My God says your problem will be solved in 3 days". My husband laughed
in his heart and thought he must be nuts' because here was this man
who had no clue about his problem and yet with such a confidence states
that the problem will be solved. Sure enough in 2 days my husband got
another job.
This amazed my husband and then my husband became
very curious to know this God who actually talks to His creation. My
husband then started looking for this Pastor wanting to know the
formula for talking with God. Finally when my husband found him he
asked him what kind of God he served. The Pastor replied I serve a
true and living God and His name is Jesus.My husband asked Pastor what
he had to do in order to have Jesus in his life, because he thought it
would be nice to have his gods and then have Jesus in case his Gods
failed to answer. Pastor replied first of all you have to confess that
you are a sinner. My husband was shocked to hear that, because he was
brought up with a belief, that by doing enough good works, giving money
in the temple his sins were forgiven, and here is this man saying that
he is a sinner. Finally he accepted the fact that he was a sinner by
birth and by choice and that he needed a savior. (Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God) He
accepted Jesus as the Lord of his life on May, 29th 1996. He
immediately received peace in his heart. The joy of being born again
was unexplainable. As he developed a relationship with God, God gave
him the strength to walk on path of holiness and righteousness. Women
did not allure him anymore, the lust of flesh was not strong enough to
distract him away from the true love of his life that was Jesus. As my
husband tried to develop a relationship with God and walk in His light,
God started talking to him and answering his prayers.
In December 1996, with mixed feelings of fear,
anxiety, concern and possibly no hope, I joined my husband. I was
greatly disturbed when my husband treated me with love and kindness. It
scared me to the point that, I thought he probably wanted to get rid of
me. This was not the man I had known in those 7 years of our married
life. After watching him for couple of days, I finally asked him the
reason of his goodness towards me. He then walked me through the
journey that, the Lord had taken him in the last year and how God
picked him up in the mist of his sinful life, broke the chains of sin,
washed him with His blood and set his feet on the solid rock. I was
amazed at the way Jesus had completely transformed my husbands life.
God had touched my life and brought His light in my life. This is where
my struggle began in life.
I was very pleased that a single touch of this so
called Jesus changed my husbands messed up life. But I did not want
that JESUS to be our familys God. I became very determined to bring
him back into hinduism. However the more I tried to stay away from
Jesus the more I found wanting to know Jesus. Deep down in my heart I
wanted the touch of one that had touched my husband, I wanted the joy
and security that my husband had bubbling in his life. But the fear of
being called a christian and facing the social stigma would grip my
heart. The thoughts of rejection of my loved ones and relatives tore my
heart. I knew I could possibly face persecution by my very own people.
The more I tried to stay away from Jesus, the more I found myself
longing for His presence. The battle between the powers of darkness and
the Lord of light continued to rage. Finally on January ,22nd 1997, I surrendered my life to Jesus. (Philippians
2:10-11 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that
every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the
father.) The thoughts of my familys reaction and
possible persecution seemed so insignificant to me as compared to His
love for me. Since that day, the light of Jesus has filled our lives.
His joy continues to strengthen us at every step of our lives. It is a
privilage to serve the creator. Till this day He continue to mold us,
make us and use us for the extension of His kingdom. May the make His
face shine upon you and your loved ones.All we say this day is as for
me and my household ,we will serve the Lord. Our prayer for whoever
reds this testimony is THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU, THE LORD MAKE
HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU, THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU, AND
GIVE YOU PEACE. Currently we are still blessed in Atlanta.
Please feel free to contact us at any time. Our Email Id:
rajsue2000@yahoo.com and our phone #:770 448 3371.