My Advocate

The following poem is something that really means a lot to me and describes a lot of my experiences before I actually came to join the PB church. I'll explain some more in a minute.

My Advocate

By Martha Snell Nicholson

I sinned. And straightway, post-haste, Satan flew

Before the presence of the most high God,

And made a railing accusation there.

He said,"This soul, this thing of clay and sod,

Has sinned. 'Tis true that he has named Thy name,

But I demand his death, for Thou hast said,

'The soul that sinneth, it shall die.' Shall not

Thy sentence be fulfilled? Is justice dead?

Send now this wretched sinner to his doom.

What other thing can righteous ruler do?"

And thus he did accuse me day and night,

And every word he spoke, O God, was true!

Then quickly One rose up from God's right hand,

Before Whose glory angels veiled their eyes.

He spoke,"Each jot and tittle of the law

Must be fulfilled; the guilty sinner dies!

But wait--suppose his guilt were all transferred

To Me, and that I paid his penalty!

Behold My hands, My side, My feet! One day

I was made sin for him, and died that he

Might be presented, faultless, at thy throne!"

And Satan flew away. Full well he knew

That he could not prevail against such love,

For every word my dear Lord spoke was true!

I had read this poem when I was younger, but I really didn't comprehend it's full meaning. Not until I came across it again a few days ago did I really realize how much it reminded me of my own experiences.

Okay, you probably now want me to tell you my actual experiences that led to my joining the church. Well, ummm...it is something I cherish and I'm not sure about sharing it on here, but since it might encourage someone I'll go ahead and share some of it.

As a child I had often wondered about baptism and what the point was. It wasn't until I turned twelve that I really understood what it was for. It was around then that I started feeling a burden to be baptized, but I tried to quench it because I was too shy to try to get up in front of everybody. The burden kept growing heavier as I grew older and I felt more and more the burden of sin that I was carrying. It wasn't until I was fifteen that I finally came to have the courage to let my wishes be known that I wanted to be baptised. In the poem I just typed it talked about the devil accusing day and night, and that really happened to me. I remember him telling me how unworthy and sinful I was, and then I remembered a sermon someone had preached about how we are sinful and unworthy, but God see us through the blood of Christ and we are made spotless and clean! After I thought of that he left me, and I want you to know that after I was baptised that I felt a great burden lift off of me. I haven't even told you have the story of my experience, but to hear the rest you'll have to ask me in person. :)

I hope you have been blessed reading this! May the Lord bless you today!!!