How I Met Jesus Christ While Looking for the Yankees on TV – Dick Stannard
I Had No Idea I Was About to Meet Jesus!
As a new husband and father I was pretty content with my life on this warm September evening in 1963. I had graduated from college and had a job in my field. I had my high school sweetheart and the only girl I had ever dated as my wife and a gorgeous baby girl who was a joy to both of us. I thought of myself as a pretty good guy — no crimes, no drugs or alcohol and generally friendly and helpful.
We lived in an upstairs apartment and in the summer it was quite warm – hot really. There was no central air conditioning in the older house and we didn’t think we were ready to buy the multiple window units that would be needed to cool the apartment. So I cranked up the 20-inch fan and settled in for some black and white TV viewing.
This is how it happened.
A Supernatural Encounter
As I remember it, Lynn was getting the baby ready for bed and I turned on the TV. We were able to receive the three major networks and the Public TV channel. As I turned the channel tuner knob (notice there was no remote in those days, either!) looking for the Yankee game special broadcast, I happened to land on another channel just at the split second that Billy Graham looked right into the TV camera in a close up shot and his eyes met mine (remember I was just in front of the screen turning the channel knob).
Billy said something pretty close to this:
“If you died tonight, do you know where you would spend eternity?”
I paused my fingers on the channel knob to see what he was talking about. He continued:
“The Bible says that:
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23
And:
“The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” Romans 6:23
Billy then proceeded to name a lengthy list of sin categories including several that applied to me.
I thought to myself that God would surely balance my sins against all the good things I did and stood for. Billy shot that idea down in his next sentence.
There is only one way, he said, to make peace with God and receive His forgiveness and that is to accept the atoning sacrifice of His son, Jesus.
Well, I was really shook up – and all of this in about 30 seconds! One thing I was sure of:
“I didn’t want God against me; I wanted Him on my side.”
So I decided quite deliberately and thoughtfully right then and there that I would accept Jesus as my savior and purposed to make him the center of my life.
It was a Supernatural Encounter, I believe, and it changed my life forever (literally!).
That was a lot of years ago and I have never second guessed that decision.
It has given me a firm anchor and an assurance that I really am on God’s side and He is on mine.
And, I never did see the Yankee game that night but I didn’t miss it!
What’s Your God Moment?
What’s your God moment story or testimony or conversion or “born again” experience or whatever you choose to call it?
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How I Met Jesus Christ While Looking for the Yankees on TV
Thanks. I appreciate it. – Dick S
