Psalm 66:16 "Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul."
When I consider what God has done for my soul, I don't know where to begin because He has done so much. I am breathing, I have an amazing wife, and I have a good job with great coworkers. I thank God for all of these, but I would not be able to enjoy them in this capacity if not for the change in my life that occurred when God took an alcoholic and made him a follower of Jesus.
Those who knew me well years ago don't need to be told that I loved to drink. I lived for it. I was good at it, even proud of it. The bottle and I were best friends from the moment we met. We did everything together, so much that I couldn't stand to be sober. I learned to depend on my fermented friend like a cripple does his crutch.
Almost a decade later, the crutch of my alcoholism had become more of a wheel chair. I was quite content to remain in that cozy chair until I realized that chains held me there. This became evident to me when I tried to quit for sanity and safety's sake. A few too many black-outs, hangovers and a night in jail left me with a mind to quit, or at least slow down. But as any addict will tell you, it's not that simple. I never knew how weak-willed I was until I tried to stop drinking. Every trial produced a failure which left me only more trapped. Many failures later I tried something unfamiliar: I prayed.
I had never been big on prayer because honestly, I didn't know who I was supposedly talking to. But I had exhausted all of my options and lost the illusion that I could save myself. So I considered the God who made me, and whether He could save me. I had heard before that this God had sent His Son Jesus to live among us and die in the place of drunks like me. Admittedly, that story had held my attention like an infomercial on cookware. However the night I saw my sinfulness and pleaded with the God of the universe to forgive me and change me, my apathy toward Jesus was killed.
My request was answered, and praise God I have never even desired a drink since. Instead I wanted Jesus. He became the most compelling person in the world to me. He changed my desires. He broke my addictions. He saved me from the consequences of my crimes by taking on my punishment. He became the wheelchair I willingly and happily depend on. Yes I am still a cripple, but now I lean on the God of grace and not an empty bottle. Alcohol promised to satisfy but delivered only a dead life. Jesus also promised to satisfy and, far more than whiskey or beer, I tell you friends: Jesus satisfies.
I don't tell you this to condemn drinking in any way. I tell you this because I want you to know how large the love of Jesus Christ is! However great our shortcomings, His mercy is greater. However badly we have wrecked our lives, He is eager to receive the junk-heap of our souls and rebuild them.
His words to the worst of us: "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32)
His words to the best of us: "No one is good except God alone." (Luke 18:19)
His words to the rest of us: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
When I consider what God has done for my soul, I don't know where to begin because He has done so much. I am breathing, I have an amazing wife, and I have a good job with great coworkers. I thank God for all of these, but I would not be able to enjoy them in this capacity if not for the change in my life that occurred when God took an alcoholic and made him a follower of Jesus.
Those who knew me well years ago don't need to be told that I loved to drink. I lived for it. I was good at it, even proud of it. The bottle and I were best friends from the moment we met. We did everything together, so much that I couldn't stand to be sober. I learned to depend on my fermented friend like a cripple does his crutch.
Almost a decade later, the crutch of my alcoholism had become more of a wheel chair. I was quite content to remain in that cozy chair until I realized that chains held me there. This became evident to me when I tried to quit for sanity and safety's sake. A few too many black-outs, hangovers and a night in jail left me with a mind to quit, or at least slow down. But as any addict will tell you, it's not that simple. I never knew how weak-willed I was until I tried to stop drinking. Every trial produced a failure which left me only more trapped. Many failures later I tried something unfamiliar: I prayed.
I had never been big on prayer because honestly, I didn't know who I was supposedly talking to. But I had exhausted all of my options and lost the illusion that I could save myself. So I considered the God who made me, and whether He could save me. I had heard before that this God had sent His Son Jesus to live among us and die in the place of drunks like me. Admittedly, that story had held my attention like an infomercial on cookware. However the night I saw my sinfulness and pleaded with the God of the universe to forgive me and change me, my apathy toward Jesus was killed.
My request was answered, and praise God I have never even desired a drink since. Instead I wanted Jesus. He became the most compelling person in the world to me. He changed my desires. He broke my addictions. He saved me from the consequences of my crimes by taking on my punishment. He became the wheelchair I willingly and happily depend on. Yes I am still a cripple, but now I lean on the God of grace and not an empty bottle. Alcohol promised to satisfy but delivered only a dead life. Jesus also promised to satisfy and, far more than whiskey or beer, I tell you friends: Jesus satisfies.
I don't tell you this to condemn drinking in any way. I tell you this because I want you to know how large the love of Jesus Christ is! However great our shortcomings, His mercy is greater. However badly we have wrecked our lives, He is eager to receive the junk-heap of our souls and rebuild them.
His words to the worst of us: "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32)
His words to the best of us: "No one is good except God alone." (Luke 18:19)
His words to the rest of us: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
No comments:
Post a Comment