His Home and My Home, Donald Mangold

As I grew up in Berkeley I learned about God from my parents and my denominational Sunday school. But among all the Bible stories there was one which stood out, told to me by my father. It was the parable of the pearl of great price: “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking fine pearls; And finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46) My father explained that God is so precious that when you find Him, you would sell everything to obtain Him. These words came back to me later as I sought the living God.

From a young age I prayed each night to God. My heart would cry out for God night after night as I did all the things people said would satisfy Him: doing good deeds, helping others, and practicing unselfishness. None of these things satisfied me within, yet I continued to pray because I really wanted to experience Him and know Him. Finally, after leaving graduate school and teaching at a small college, the Lord opened my eyes. It was not a matter of doing something for God, but simply surrendering my life to Jesus by praying, “Lord Jesus, come into my life and be everything to me. I am yours.” From that time on I had a real inward experience of peace and joy.

Even after this wonderful salvation the thirst for God continued in me. Now, however, I sought Jesus in every area of my life. After returning to graduate school in New York state, the Lord guided me into fellowship with others who loved Christ. Through them I became involved for several years with campus groups who were preaching the gospel. In addition, a small group of us used to meet and pray together, studying the Bible and listening to tapes of famous Christian speakers. We also read books by seeking Christians such as A.W. Tozer, Hudson Taylor, and Watchman Nee. We prayed with open hearts to the Lord Jesus, consecrating our lives and all that we treasured to Him, for His purpose. We felt we genuinely touched the Lord at these times, but despite this rich fellowship, something within me was not at rest.

It was only after I returned to my home in Berkeley a few years ago that the Lord provided the answer to my restless seeking. I came to the local church and knew deep within me that finally I had found the place where He was at home. Just as my father had told me, while I sought Him as the supremely precious One, He had brought me to His own pearl of great price--His church (Ephesians 5:25-27). This was what I had unknowingly prayed for during all those many years of seeking God. At long last the yearning for Himself that Christ had put into my heart was satisfied, because He had brought me to the place where He Himself was everything: “...the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)