THE VOICE OF GOD
THE DEBATE
Each fall while living in Douglas, WY, I would drive up to the Laramie range to gather my load of fire wood for the winter. It was my quiet time, and this trip was to be no different.The drive up to Esterbrook, where this little chapel was located, would only take about 40 minutes. When I got into my truck and set off, I immediately knew that this trip was going to be different. Out of nowhere, I was entering a debate with God.
Allow me to put the debate into context. A week prior, I was down in Cheyenne at a Christian conference. The leader of the conference was raising the question as to whether or not we had dedicated our lives to Christ. If not, he was going to offer an altar call. This was rather a strange event for an Episcopal Church! Did I go up? No. You see, beloved, I'd been baptized, confirmed, sang in the choir, and was on the governing board of our local parish. In other words, I was a member in good standing! So, why did I have to make this new commitment? The question haunted me all week, and now it was following me all the way up the mountain. I could not shake the voice that was reigniting in my head.
As I got to Esterbrook Chapel, I stopped my truck, slammed the door and yelled out, "What in the hell do you want from me!?" The voice said, "I want your commitment!" I finally capitulated as I declared one condition. "Don't put me on a soap box somewhere thumping on a Bible and telling sinners to repent. All of a sudden, the debate was over as I committed my life to Christ. It was a moment in time that changed the course of my life.
From that moment on, my life was slowly being transformed. That which I used to do, no longer had the same appeal. I found myself buried in inspirational books and reading the Bible for the first time.
The funny thing was, I hated to read for pleasure--dyslexia does that!
The funny thing was, I hated to read for pleasure--dyslexia does that!
No comments:
Post a Comment