Rick Schnabel’s Testimony
May 20, 2012
When asked to share a few minutes about my testimony, as it relates to serving the
Gathering, I need to go back to when I was a new Christian to understand who I am
today.
I became a Christian in high school through Young Life. The approach of having fun and
looking at God’s Word through song, skits, and study, really spoke to me. When I
became a Christian, God gave me a desire to read his word. After reading the story of
Solomon in 2 Chronicles 1:10-12, where He asked God for wisdom:
“Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern
this great people of yours?" God said to Solomon, "Since this is your heart's desire and
you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and
since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my
people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given
you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before
you ever had, and none after you will have."
And the scriptures of David being called a man after God’s own heart in Acts 13:22
“After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have
found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to
do.”
And those in 1 Samuel chapters 13 and 15, I prayed one night and told God that if I could
ask of him a blessing, while I thought that Solomon’s request was a wonderful and
unselfish request, I would request to be known as a man after God’s own heart.
I wish I could say that from that point forward I have followed God with love and
integrity, and a character that never failed to please God. But the reality is that I have had
colossal failures. My life has been more like the children of Israel; trusting God, then
doing things in my own strength, failing in the process, having peaks and valleys, but
learning through it all that God never leaves me or forsakes me, and day by day, I was
being transformed into the image of Christ.
Fast forward to about a year ago. Virginia and I were driving home from Idaho and
listening to a Christian talk radio show. The show was about building strong marriages.
During the show, the guest played a song from Fiddler on the Roof called, “Do You Love
Me.”
The show went on to talk about building strong marriages, but God used that song over
the next nine months to ask me if I loved him.
Rick, do you Love Me? --- If you love me, obey my commandments (John 14:15)
Rick, do you Love Me? --- Then feed my sheep. (John 21:17)
God is asking me to serve him in a way I haven’t before. I wish I could say that I will
serve him perfectly, but I will fail at times. I am grateful to know His grace and love is
enough. I desire to serve God in any way he chooses to use me. Sweeping floors, setting
up chairs, or any task he asks me to do. I don’t need position, or title, but I do need to be
found doing my Father’s business, and I will seek to do it in a way that pleases him. I
believe that God is asking me to serve him here at the Gathering. I believe that God is
doing something here at the Gathering, I believe that loving one another in a way that
allows God’s grace to heal lives, and transform us day by day more in the image of
Christ.