"Thankful that I am a Bible-teacher today..."

(Jiju forwarded me this testimony which served as an eye-opener to me. It has been my deep desire to spend quality time with God's Word, but somehow I could not find myself to be faithful. I am now convinced that I cannot postpone it any longer. Thanks, Jiju - Ben)

"Today I am thankful that I am a Bible-teacher and not a musician

In early 1961, when working at the Naval Base at Bombay, I saw anaccordion in a shop-window of a music shop. I thought of buying it tolearn how to play it. I knew however, that as a child of God I shouldseek God's will in all matters – both great and small. So I prayed andsought God's will. But I did not know how to find God's will in suchmatters. So I asked God for a sign. I told Him that if the price ofthe accordion was within a certain amount, then I would assume that itwas His will for me to buy it. If it cost more than that amount, thenI would assume that God did not want me to buy it. Since I was veryeager to buy the accordion, I eagerly hoped that it would cost lessthan the figure I had quoted to the Lord.

But the lowest price the shop was willing to sell it for, was slightlyabove the amount I had quoted to God. I began to think of a number offactors. First of all, I did have enough money with me to buy it.Secondly, the government had banned the import of accordions and sothis was probably the last accordion available in any shop in Bombay.Thirdly, I wanted to learn the instrument only for use in Christian meetings.

But all these factors were overruled by the fact that I had asked Godfor a sign and the sign was not fulfilled. So I decided not to buy theaccordion – and walked out of the shop. I was disappointed that Icould not get the accordion but happy that I had obeyed the Lord.

A few days later, I was witnessing about Christ to one of mynon-Christian colleagues. He asked me a question from the Bible forwhich I did not know the answer. I was ashamed that as a Christian, I did not know the answer to something from the Bible. I went back to my room and decided to study the Word thoroughly, so that thereafter, I would know the answer to every question for which there was an answer in the Bible.

From the time I received assurance of my salvation in 1959, I hadfound a desire within me to read God's Word daily. First of all, I haddecided to read through the whole Bible quickly - and had done so inabout 6 months. I understood very little of what I read - but my faithwas strengthened by whatever I read. But I was not a deep student ofthe Word.

But now, the study of God's Word became my passion. I began to spendhours with the Bible, day and night, in my spare time. I saved somemoney and bought a Young's Concordance and used it to study theoccurrence of different words in the Bible. Very soon I, who knewalmost nothing of the Bible, began to understand deep truths from the Scriptures.

Then I realized why God had not wanted me to buy the accordion. If I had bought it, I would have spent many hours learning to play it more and more perfectly. And as all musicians know very well, there is noend to being perfect in playing any instrument. That is an endlesspursuit. I would have become a slave to the accordion.

Interestingly enough, six years later, I was able to buy an accordionfrom someone who sold his instrument to me. But by then I had becomeso deeply devoted to the Word that the accordion could not master me.It was my slave. I never became an expert musician, because God hadsomething better for me, which I never knew in 1961. Today, howthankful I am, that I am a Bible-teacher and not a musician and that Ispent my life studying the Bible and not music. There are many goodChristian musicians but not many anointed Bible-teachers. [by Zac Poonan]"