"Not Mahatma Gandhi but Jesus Christ" - Mohan Neeraj
The turning point in my life should be traced to an accident that brought a 20-year old youth to the brink of the grave. He remained unconscious for eighty four days in the intensive care unit while his parents frantically looked for divine aid from the gods and goddesses they believed in. When everything failed, in desperation, they approached one pastor Thomas who lived in NOIDA for help. As he started praying for the victim, the young man regained consciousness; a miracle began to happen. Such was the impact, that the whole family turned to Christ convinced that He is the true God
I happened to marry the sister of the victim, a doctor by profession. I was quite religious by nature and would frequent temples and bow before every idol. My geometry box would contain colorful pictures of my favourite gods and goddesses. When I came to possess a cell phone, it was my habit to use similar pictures as screen savers in my mobile. After I was engaged to be married to my fiancée, I emailed her one such picture desiring that she keep it as her screen saver too. She would thereby enjoy divine protection. Yes, like most husbands it was my desire that she should see the world through my eyes, enjoy the things I enjoyed and love the gods I loved.
She showed no enthusiasm to accept my proposal. She explained without any offence that she believed only in Jesus Christ and so it would not be possible for her to go against her own convictions. I was displeased but at the same time I was aware of her strong faith. Though we were both rel
igious in our own separate ways, her prayers seemed to be heard more often and more speedily than mine own. This was so evident to me, that I used to request her prayers whenever I faced a problem.
Our different ways did not reach breaking point because I felt in one corner of my heart that all roads lead to Rome; all rivers joined the ocean. All religions are different ways of getting closer to the same God. What mattered to me was that she had a firm faith in God. Further, I had developed a confidence in her prayers. Things happened and problems got solved whenever she approached her god. She swore by Jesus Christ; over a period of time, I was willing to accept Him as one of the many gods.
The miraculous recovery of her brother from a near fatal accident had prompted her to take to the path of prayer whenever faced with a challenge. And each answered prayer increased her appetite to “taste and see that the Lord is good!”
In May 2005, I was in South Korea in connection with my work as a lead consultant with a multinational firm. A work related problem was vexing me. After trying many solutions, I was left clueless. The problem appeared intractable. I was at my wit’s end and frustrated. In that mood, I called my fiancée. During the conversation she felt that my mind was troubled and I was not fully attentive to her words. On her persistent inquiry I confessed that I was facing a problem in the workplace. Since we belonged to different professions, I had not thought it necessary to share my office problems with her. Now that she insisted, I narrated to her my dilemma and she said she would pray to Jesus and the problem would be solved. A few minutes later her prediction came true putting an end to an issue that had defied solution for two weeks!
In December the same year, I was in China confronting a far serious problem. Failure to resolve it would mean an end of the project. The team would have returned admitting failure. The system had crashed. Then I recalled my Korean experience and called my wife on the phone. She listened to the problem and then told me that she would pray and the system would be revived.
The next morning, I was back at office and the ‘commands’ that did not work the previous day yielded the desired results, reviving the system. Overjoyed, I rang up my wife to tell her the good news. She was happy too and wanted me to testify in her church about the miracle. I agreed, though reluctantly.
The following Sunday when I arrived at the church accompanied by my wife, it was a new experience. I found people singing aloud with much fervour and enthusiasm; the preacher spoke with authority while delivering his sermon. A few turned emotional and wept while praying. There was also the ritual of sharing bread and wine which later l learnt was the Holy Communion. I had not witnessed such scenes earlier and did not feel free to give my testimony. However, I wanted to keep my promise to my wife, and narrated the incident to the pastor, in private.
The pastor was obviously pleased at the narration of my experience following my wife’s prayer and ventured to tell more about Jesus. I felt uneasy at his efforts to persuade me about the superiority of Christ and I retorted:“Are you trying to convert me?” I made my displeasure plain to him and added that I respected all religions. I had friends among Christians, Sikhs and Muslims. All paths lead to the same God. What is needed for man is a true fear of God. My frayed tempers put an end to the conversation. However the kindly pastor invited me for food and if he was annoyed over my angry reaction, his behaviour did not show it.
As the food was placed over the table, he thanked God for the food and prayed for His blessing on all who shared it. Before leaving, he also prayed for my success and the well being of my family. Moments earlier I had vehemently opposed him defending my Hindu faith in aggressive tones and his response was contrary to all my expectations. His words reflected much humility, love and concern.
Next morning I was perplexed for in a strange way, everything seems to go against me. At home I was blamed for things I did not do. On the professional front too, difficulties arose. I fought with my wife and told her that from the day she took me to the church, life had become hell to me. “I can leave you, but I can not leave Jesus Christ!” she said in a huff. This statement infuriated me further. As I pondered over the matter I recognized that I had become dependent on my wife; she was my support whenever I confronted a problem in my profession; her rock like faith in Christ had helped me at crucial moments.
My differences with my brother and others reached a high point and I felt even against my will that it would not be in my interest to continue there. I felt as if God was asking me to move from their midst. I asked Neetu to pray for a new home. And she did. She asked her father to approach a particular friend of his and surprisingly he was willing to let it out his house for them. No advance payment was needed as was the custom. What is more, the landlord would not accept any rent from them.
I was confounded by the fact that while she prayed things happened; I was similarly religious and did not find anything in me that disqualified me before God. Why did He answer her prayers and not mine?
She told me that her faith was in Jesus and the Bible. She maintained that whenever she had prayed in the name of Jesus, she had received answers. I started reading the Bible with a view to proving to her that mere reading of the Bible would not produce such miracles. I found the King James Version of the Bible a bit difficult to understand. I began with the Gospel of Matthew. The first few chapters including the genealogy were very boring and I was about to abandon my efforts.
I was in the fifth chapter of the Matthew’s Gospel and verse 39 arrested my attention. It read:“If anyone slaps you in the right cheek, let him slap on the left cheek too.” Until that moment, I had thought this was a teaching of Mahatma Gandhi. Soon I discovered that some of the other profound statements made by the Mahatma were also found therein. As I read on a strange peace descended into my mind and soul—a peace that I had never experienced before. I had been to many religious places looking for peace but had not found it.
Looking back I could say that I had not experienced such peace even though I lacked nothing by way of earthly comforts. I drew a handsome salary, whenever on tour I had the privilege of staying in five star hotels; there was a car and a driver at my disposal. Yet I had never before experienced this kind of peace.
Further, no one else had uttered such powerful statements like,“I am the light of the world!” “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” “I am the alpha and the omega…” The profound declarations increased my appetite for reading the Book of Books. I began rising early to read it and it gave me a new power and experience of a divine presence. As I read the parables, it was as if God himself was teaching me new things. God’s word to Jeremiah, “Call unto Me and I will teach you great and mighty things which you do not know!” (Jeremiah 33: 3) seemed to be coming true.
At the same time I wondered how such precious truths remained hidden even from Christians. If only these precious teachings were publicized it would encourage more people to read the Bible leading to a wonderful transformation. It is no exaggeration to say that all my activities as a very religious person earlier had not helped me to experience the power of God. I had only found a void, with all my efforts to find Him.
Now for me, it is a new way of life. And this Book had also motivated me to share the meaning I had found in its pages with others; it opens my eyes to a new power, new possibilities with my life and new relationship with my fellow beings.
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