I Pray the Lord, my Soul to Take

“If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take…” Over the years, I have been asked, “When were you saved?” My answer: “When I was 7, when I was 9, again when I was 14, and again in high school.” (Actually, of course, I was ‘born again’ only once, but I lacked the assurance of my salvation.)

     Many of my childhood memories happened while I was attending church. Although my self-taught father started four churches, he also served as an interim pastor in several churches: Methodist, Nazarene, Assemblies of God, Bible Missionary, and a Free Methodist Church. Still, the prevailing theology was charismatic. Two impacts were reoccurring scenarios -1, a belief that salvation could be given and lost, and 2, a constant effort to experience the Holy Spirit’s power, as evidenced by the speaking in an unknown language. My brother, John, and I responded to so many altar calls—either to get saved (again), or to try again (harder this time) to “receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues”. There was one Sunday evening service, too, when we spent considerable time at the altar seeking “sanctification”, while we attended a “Bible Missionary” church. Some children probably didn’t think about their bedtime prayer “…if I should die before I wake…” but I do remember numerous times when I wondered where I would go if I were to die in my sleep.

     I am so grateful for the Gospel of John, who records Jesus as saying, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27, 28) That means: not me, not the devil, not a preacher, not angels or demons – I am eternally secure in my salvation, not because I can somehow hold on to Jesus, but because He holds on to me. Chuck Missler makes an interesting statement in his discourse entitled Eternal Security: “You can lose your salvation, IF it depends on you.” Chuck also says: “If it [salvation] cannot be gained by merit, it cannot be lost by demerit.” Thankfully, I am kept, not by my power, but by His; if it were up to me to keep by my merit, I know I would mess it up.

    The only evidence (visible to the public) of the Shepherd’s ownership of sheep is the response of sheep when they hear their Shepherd’s voice: They listen and follow Him. “I pray the Lord, my soul to take. Amen.”

 Jim B   ’47 / ’56 St Charles   MN

Doris Jean H ’44 / ’55 Manheim PA