Good morning church ! I’m going to share a little story about an incident that happened about 2 years ago. I was a fellow who thought I could control my own destiny, my own life, believing in no one but myself.

It all happened in Feb 2002 at Club Med, Bintan where my colleagues and I were enjoying ourselves. Of course you would know all about the sun, the sand and the sea. It was beautiful, really beautiful! I really had to take a dip in the waters! The waves were splashing, the currents strong and we were having fun. Before I knew it, I got carried away by the tide and strong currents. It got to a point where I was literally struggling to swim ashore. Then I realized I was going down - I was drowning! At that moment, my thoughts were with my family, my loved ones and friends, and wondered if that was the end of my life. I refused to give in, and for those who know me, I’m not one to give up easily. But I was already very tired, exhausted and breathless. I tried hard to keep myself afloat as it simply wouldn’t have been possible for me to swim ashore. I knew I had to call for help, which I did, but I was no longer in control of the situation. So I waved frantically for help! My heart even cried out: “Save me Lord, save me God!” But you have to know that I was no Christian then, but somehow this heart of mine was really hoping for a miracle.

The fact that I’m before you today would have told you that something really did happen. A colleague of mine came to my rescue despite the real danger of being swept away with me by the strong currents. So he saved me, but this near drowning incident prompted much thoughts.

A couple of months later, a lady whom I barely knew invited me to City Harvest Church. Somehow I agreed and I visited the church for the first time in June 2002. But because I had no friends there, I decided to call Mark whom I knew were actively involved in church. He invited me to their TGIF night (Thank God It’s Friday, Friday 13 th Sep 2002), an occasion for friends to gather and have a time of fellowship. I remembered a sister sharing her testimony of how God delivered her mother from a near death experience. After a video clip, Mark took the opportunity to share about Jesus and His ability to save and to perform miracles. Later I recalled the video clip was Senior Pastor talking about something. Mark also led me in the sinner’s prayer, where I prayed to receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I was also gladly and thankfully baptised this year by Senior Pastor on 17 Jan 2004.

What I like to share is that I’m really thankful to this colleague of mine for saving my life - his name is Sam. I’m also thankful to Mark, I called him Mark then but today I call him Pastor Mark, for leading me to Christ. I’m also thankful to Senior Pastor Tay for baptising me and also giving me this opportunity to share this testimony of mine. And most of all I’m thankful to God for allowing me to continue my days on earth, giving this opportunity to carry out His work, glorifying Him. I sincerely hope that you, whom I call friends, will get to know Him someday. Get to know Jesus while you can and while you still can decide. I was fortunate to be given a second chance. Otherwise I would not be here, I would not be able to share with you today had the currents been too strong for me and my colleagues and had God decided that that was my last day on earth. All I can say is that I’m really grateful and thankful.