At the time when “my eyes opened” to this world, I lived with my aunt and her husband. We lived in a Ghanaian village called Dededo, in an Apostle Revelation Society settlement. I was taught good Christian values, even though I was sometimes disobedient. For example, we were taught a prayer that we said whenever we received a gift or a good deed from someone. I memorized those prayers and kept them in my mind.
Difficulties and God’s guidance
I started school in 1969. I had a friend called Divine, who lived with his grandparents a few kilometers from Dededo. One day I decided to go with Divine to his home, and as a result I came home late. My parents were not happy with me and my auntie’s husband said that Divine’s grandfather and he were enemies. He said I could be poisoned if Divine’s father found out that I spent time with him. For that reason, I was sent to the lady who was said to be my biological mother. I was then in second grade. Although I knew I had been disobedient, I was very surprised that hatred between two elderly people affected my life so much.
When I moved to my mother’s house and started third grade, free education in Ghana ended and we had to pay a school fee. I met some childhood friends and we began to collect sand and stones to sell. Whatever money I made I gave to my mother, and I was thus able to start the third grade at Peki Tsame. In fifth grade my school uniform was completely torn and I was dismissed from school. However, I went to study with my friends anyway. Their auntie noticed that I had not been going to school, and she asked me why. I told her, and she bought me a new uniform.
One day I went with a friend to do some paid farm work for a man called Mr. Rowland Atta. He invited me to live in his home. When a new school year began, he worked out a transfer for me to go to Peki Wudome Evangelical Presbyterian Middle School, which was closer to his house.
Create in me a clean heart
I started confirmation lessons at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Peki Dzogbati in 1977 with three other students, and we were confirmed the following July. During the confirmation service, as part of the ceremony each of the confirmands was asked to pick a card containing a Bible quote. I happened to pick Psalm 51:10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” The quoted words made me want to always have a clean heart and the right spirit.
In 1990 there was a leadership crisis in the church, and the congregation split into two factions. At that point I decided to leave the church, since I found it difficult to understand why church leaders could not resolve their differences without causing the church to split. I then joined the Salvation Army.
The ministers’ humbleness touched me
While attending a funeral in Peki in February 2007, I met Joseph Kuse, my longtime friend and brother. He intimated to me that there was a church that was to be opened in Accra and that he was requested to lead it. On the day when the brothers came from Lomé to begin the church activity, I was not able to attend due to a commitment at the Salvation Army. But soon afterward Joseph told me the mission speakers would be serving in the services that evening.
I attended the services, and on that day I received the grace of repentance. I was very impressed by the humility and sincerity of the ministers. I said to myself: this is truly the truth. The speakers did not present themselves as strong, but based their sermon on the salvation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With tears in their eyes, they, too, confessed their own sinfulness and asked for the forgiveness of their sins. I saw that they had the mind of Christ.
I found myself a great sinner too, who needed salvation. I opened my heart and believed all my sins and doubts forgiven when the gospel was preached to me. I felt that grace entered my life.
I am surrounded by God’s love
When I found the kingdom of God by believing my sins forgiven in Jesus’ name and precious blood, I began to see faith and life matters differently. I must admit that I found myself to be without merit for the grace. I only needed to humble myself and allow the will of God to work within my life. I also understood that I should try to maintain a good conscience at all times and to avoid sin.
I can feel God’s love around me even though the enemy of souls is always tempting me. My wife’s belief is quite different from mine, but I pray that one day we could have the same faith. I go to services with my daughter and my son. Even though I continue to have challenges in my family life, my approach to dealing with them has been different ever since I found the kingdom of God. I do not allow the sin of anger to remain in me any longer. I want to put away sin when my son preaches the gospel to me every evening before I go to sleep.
I have now realized that it is not very easy at all to be a child of God. You cannot have a clean heart on your own, but need God’s help for that. To experience a clean heart and a steadfast spirit, one needs the grace of God through the work done by Jesus Christ. I have nothing to show to God. I only want to open my heart and allow his Word to be written on the tablets of my heart, so that I can think about it day and night. I need the gospel at all times to guide me on this journey of faith. I need the brothers and sisters in faith to support me on the way. I see the congregation as my mother that cares for my temporal and spiritual needs.
Author: George Dodzidenu
Image: iStock