Recife, Brazil

The Thing She Wanted Most

 

Tatiana, age 30, of Recife, Brazil, was searching.  She had been reading her Bible for some time looking for answers to life and the will of God.  At the invitation of her Christian friend, Rose, she visited with some Christians in Recife, including Aureni and Mike Pruitt, missionaries in northeastern Brazil for three decades.

 

Tatiana asked if someone could study the Bible with her.  Aureni said that Tatiana reminded her of the Ethiopian from Acts 8 in the Bible, who invited Philip the evangelist to step into his chariot to study the Bible with him.

 

Although Tatiana had a very busy schedule as a single mother who also works afternoon and nights at a nearby university, she and Aureni found times during the week to study the Bible together.  Tatiana asked many questions with a sincere desire to understand and to do God’s will.

 

In their studies, Tatiana recognized her need to be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of her sins – just like the Ethiopian in Acts 8 (please read Acts 8:26-39).

 

Aureni reports: “On the day of her baptism, something interesting happened.  Usually, after someone is baptized, they emerge from the water, and then they leave the baptistery to hug their family and friends.  Tatiana didn’t do that – at least not right away.  She stayed in the water for some time, crying.  It was such a beautiful scene to see this young lady shedding tears of joy.  She told me that this was the thing she wanted most in her life.”

 

What had Tatiana found?  Her Savior, Jesus Christ.  Forgiveness from her past sins.  A new life.  A new hope of eternal life in heaven.  A new family of fellow Christians in the family of God.  All of the spiritual blessings that are found in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

 

When Tatiana rose from the waters of baptism, she shed tears of joy!  By the way, after the Ethiopian of Acts 8 was baptized, he also “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).  Perhaps his rejoicing included tears of joy.

 

You, too, can have what is most needed: salvation from sin, the hope of eternal life, and all of the spiritual blessings that are found in Christ.  You may receive these blessings by placing your faith and trust in Jesus who died on the cross for your sins (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, as you continue to walk in the light of His Word, the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse you from sin (1 John 1:7).

 

My prayer for you is that, like Tatiana, you will search God’s Word, study it deeply, learn of Jesus, submit your life to Him, and follow Him all the way to heaven.  I pray that you will find in Him the thing you want most.

 

Won’t YOU trust and obey Jesus?

 

-- David A. Sargent