......when no one gave him anything.....He finally came to his senses.....
Got my Christmas present yesterday....
Been praying for it for a number of months, but wasn't sure it would make it.
It arrived via a telephone call last night around 7 p.m.
My phone rang, not knowing who it was that was calling, I answered it only to be greeted with a recorded message......"This is a call from an inmate at (Insert name) county jail wishing to speak to you" . Well, at least it wasn't a collect call.
The voice on the other end sounded clear, sober and, if you can believe it,relived.
"Bro. Mike! I just had to call you and let you know what has happened to me". Now to some of you who are reading this, it may get a bit strange from here on out as I finish this story. This person has been on a runaway train headed straight to destruction and hell for some time. I would get calls at least once a week where they would describe what was going on in their life. With each call, things got a little worse....
It began with "I lost my job"...
Then there was "I lost my car"....
Followed by "I've lost my house".....
Then came an upswing in life...."Someone has given me a place to live"...
Which was quickly followed by encounters with demons...coming in and out of the place he was staying, tormenting him. Not making this up and if you've ever had any dealings with such you know that what I write is true.
Old friends began to reappear in this persons life.
Old friends are usually quickly followed by old ways and old thoughts.
Such will put you on the fast track to old habits and behaviors.
Before you know it, you're smack dab back in that old lifestyle of drugging and drinking.
The person I was talking to confessed that they had reverted to being a gutter-addict, or one who uses what ever is available to get high. Meth, Crack, Booze, Heroin..didn't matter as long as it did the job. In this drunken stupor, last Saturday night they decided to steal a car, but before they did, they went to a 7-11 to use the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, door locked, they sat down and immediately went to sleep. Next thing they knew, the police was asking them questions.
This was quickly followed by a new set of bracelets being given to them, as well as a personal escorted ride to a government building. In other words, they were going to jail. Due to the history of this individual, probation was revoked and now they are headed to prison for 18 months. Here was my Christmas present....they were going to prison. Usually I would not wish prison on my worse enemy, but in this case, prison might be the vehicle that saves this individual. I think there was relief in this person that the train had been derailed before it killed them.
Of course, in the conversation I had with this person, they were saying all the right things. As they went on and on about how this was God's love to get them in a place where they would not die, I told him.."We'll see! If this truly is God then you will go in with an attitude of gratitude that He loves you so much, He is sending you to prison." In other words, as bad as prison is, this is an opportunity given by God to get it right this time. No more playing. No more lying. Keep this person in your prayers if you would, they God would continue to hold their feet to the fire, that they may finally make the turn toward a new way of living.
As soon as I receive their address, I will post it so if you would like to write them, you can. Like I said, this was the best Christmas present I've received. Mercy and grace to this person, Father....mercy and grace.
Merry Christmas from the "B's" in Attalla.
No comments:
Post a Comment