{"id":289,"date":"2008-04-27T22:02:02","date_gmt":"2008-04-28T05:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/?p=289"},"modified":"2014-11-30T14:51:03","modified_gmt":"2014-11-30T22:51:03","slug":"when-i-became-a-christian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/when-i-became-a-christian\/","title":{"rendered":"When I Became a Christian – by Adrian Plass"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was just listening to a message given by Michael Frost<\/a>, and in it he read the following poem by Adrian Plass. <\/p>\n

This poem is exactly what I am thinking and feeling. For me, following Jesus has become a life full of deep faith and great fear. The poem portrays both wonderfully.<\/p>\n

\"following<\/p>\n

When I Became a Christian<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By Adrian Plass<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in,
\nTell me what I\u2019ll suffer in this world of shame and sin.
\nHe said, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
\nDo you still want to follow me? I said Amen – I think.
\nI think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
\nI\u2019m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
\nYou say my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
\nWell, yes, that sounds terrific, Lord, I say Amen – I think.<\/p>\n

But, Lord, there must be other ways to follow you, I said,
\nI really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.
\nWell, yes, he said, you could put up with the sneers and scorn and spit,
\nDo you still want to follow me? I said Amen – a bit.
\nA bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
\nI\u2019m not entirely sure, can we just run through that again?
\nYou say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
\nWell, yes, I\u2019ve made my mind up, and I say, Amen – a bit.<\/p>\n

Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
\nNow, Lord, I said, the Good book says that Christians live in joy.
\nThat\u2019s true he said, you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
\nSo do you want to follow me, I said, Amen – tomorrow.
\nTomorrow, Lord, I\u2019ll say it then, that\u2019s when I\u2019ll say Amen,
\nI need to get it clear, can I just run through that again?
\nYou say that I will need the joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
\nWell, yes, I think I\u2019ve got it straight, I\u2019ll say Amen – tomorrow.<\/p>\n

He said, Look, I\u2019m not asking you to spend an hour with me
\nA quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
\nThe cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit,
\nNow tell me, will you follow me? I said Amen – I quit.
\nI\u2019m very sorry Lord I said, I\u2019d like to follow you,
\nBut I don\u2019t think religion is a manly thing to do.
\nHe said forget religion then, and think about my Son,
\nAnd tell me if you\u2019re man enough to do what he has done.<\/p>\n

Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
\nMan enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
\nMan enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
\nTo battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
\nAnd listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
\nThe moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
\nAre you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry?
\nWhen nails break your body-are you man enough to die?
\nMan enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
\nMan enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
\nAre you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again?
\nI said, Oh Lord, I\u2019m frightened, but I also said Amen.
\nAmen, Amen, Amen, Amen; Amen, Amen, Amen,
\nI said, Oh Lord, I\u2019m frightened, but I also said, Amen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Does this express your feelings in following Jesus?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I learn to follow Jesus into new and exciting territory, I find Him leading me into dark and dangerous places, full of doubt and uncertainty. At first, this scared me. But now I am beginning to look forward to each new turn, each new horizon. <\/p>\n

I recently found a poem, called When I Became a Christian<\/em> by Adrian Plass, which shares the faith and fear of following Jesus. This is how I often feel in life. Does this express your feelings in following Jesus?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1577,19,1640,1300,1471,1539],"class_list":{"0":"post-289","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"tag-christianity","8":"tag-discipleship","9":"tag-faith","10":"tag-fear","11":"tag-following-jesus","12":"tag-missions","13":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nWhen I Became a Christian - by Adrian Plass<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When I Became a Christian by Adrian Plass is a poem which shares the faith and fear of following Jesus. 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