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The
REAL Miracle...
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I am probably typical of
most people that have lived in the “good ole USA” over these past
decades. I never paid much attention to religion, but searched for
some spiritual connection. If we are honest with ourselves, I doubt
that there is an atheist among us. We all search for some meaning to
our existence. I remember when I was stationed at the Presidio of San
Francisco, as a captain in the U.S. Army, and talking “spiritually”
with a good friend, Buster. We both had served tours in Vietnam in
combat situations and had seen and experienced the lowest common
denominator of our existence…the death of a human being. We agreed
that there were “no atheists in foxholes”, especially when mortars and
small arms fire had us pinned down. We talked a multitude of hours
over the two years we were together, not really arriving at any
conclusions. Interestingly enough, I do not remember the name of
Jesus Christ coming up in any of those discussions. Speaking for
myself what limited contact I had with Christianity left a negative
impression on me and came across as irrelevant in our modern world.
Moving on, I resigned my commission in 1970 and went on my way in
search of money, fame and success. I was fortunate to have enjoyed a
measure of achievement in both business and family. I basically
convinced myself that God was not necessary and that self-fulfillment
was the goal of my life…a very self-centered worldview. My material
and business accomplishments were the only things that mattered and
would suffice as proof of my worth and talent. I owed nothing to
anyone…the rest of the population could fend for themselves. |
"The Real Thing" |
The more I amassed of the world’s goods,
the more successful I became in the eyes of others…after all, isn’t that
an admirable goal for our existence? Boiling it down, a secular worldview
is what guided my existence and gave legitimacy to my actions and self
worth. For the next eight years, I never gave God a second, or for that
matter, a first thought. Then I heard a song by Peggy Lee (of all people!)
titled “Is That All There Is.” That got me thinking once again about the
great questions of life. Why am I here? What significance is there in
amassing material goods? Why is so much importance place in what we have
and have achieved and not who we are? And of course, that question that
plagues us all…who is in control anyway and what is there after this
life?! It seems as if I spent most of my time reacting to circumstances
and not really controlling them. But I did manage to convince myself that
I was the “master of my destiny.” Ha!
Again I must confess that Jesus was not
part of the equation in my search for significance. During the period of
time of my greatest worldly success, two women from a local Church knocked
on our door one Saturday in 1976 and invited our girls to Sunday School
and what they called the worship hour. They explained that a bus would
come by and pick them up the next morning, Sunday, and return them around
1:00 that afternoon. They would even feed them a snack. Fine with us
after all a little “religion” might do them some good! Besides, we
were good people!? There were benefits to this arrangement, we could
sleep in later on Sunday morning and do our own thing, as it were!! This
went on for two years. Finally the girls, after hounding us for over a
year, asked if we would go to an Easter Service because they were to
receive awards for verse memorization, attendance, bringing their Bibles
to Church, singing, etc. Reluctantly we said yes, for you see we were
not even C & E (Christmas and Easter) Christians. Believe me, Christianity
had no place in our lives!! No one had ever seriously challenged me to
investigate Christianity and it’s founder…Jesus! Besides I had all the
“pat” responses…
What about the Africans that have not
heard? How could a loving God permit so much evil? Jesus can’t be the only
way?! What about all those other religions? Religion is a personal thing
and you should not push your beliefs on others. Besides, I gave to the
Jerry Lewis Telethon and PBS. And of course, the real clincher… I’m a good
person; after all, I haven’t murdered anyone! That fateful Sunday
morning arrived and off we went to Church as a family. We entered the
front of the Church and sat down immediately in the first pew, which
interestingly is the back of Church…go figure! Prior to awards ceremony,
we, no I mean, they sang songs. Then made some announcements and did a lot
of praying, and of course, they collected money in these “wooden bowls.” I
emptied out my pocket change and placed it in the “bowl” when it was
passed to us. Then the “master of ceremonies” introduced the preacher.
A very impressive looking guy! About 6’ 5” in height, fiery red hair and a
very serious demeanor about him. Well he started preaching and I could not
believe what he was saying…he literally “read my book”! I honestly thought
that the children had told him all about us! Boy, was I going to talk to
them when we got home! The more he preached, the lower Marilyn and I sank
down in the pew and when he pointed his finger toward the congregation, I
felt it touch me inside my chest and I was al least 100 feet away from the
platform! I was one “relieved and happy camper” when he finished. It was
torture! Never had I heard anything like it before…I mean, “Jesus this,
and sin that, and you need a Savior, need to be born again, and that He is
coming again and that you need to ready…you know all that “religious”
stuff! I must, however, admit it did prick my interest and the “veil”
started to part. The other ingredient that impacted me was that after
the service, most of the people came up, shook our hands, and indicated
that they were praying for us…it blew our minds! I didn’t need prayer,
I had all I wanted! Judging by the cars in the parking lot and the dress
of most of the folks, they needed prayer more than I did!!
We found out that the Preacher, Rev. Couch
was there for the first time himself and was giving a “trial” sermon that
morning. He didn’t even know our kids! We later found out that
it was the Holy Spirit that was convicting us and not his finger!
Reverend Couch was eventually called as Pastor and three months after that
fateful Easter morning we met with him on Saturday afternoon, June 24th,
1978. The “veil” was about to come off! We met in his office at the
Church and asked…What do we have to do to join the Church? Duh! He had
been issuing this invitation for sinners to give their lives over to Jesus
at the end of each sermon and we never responded. Once again you have to
understand, we were not sinners! We were good people! And now, even better
people, because we were attending Church every Sunday. How about that!
Doesn’t that count spiritually for something? Fortunately Pastor Couch
quite bluntly responded, “You don’t join the church, you receive Jesus as
your Savior.” He had said that during each of the services, but that, you
know, was for sinners! Well you guessed it…we were good people! The “veil”
was pulled slowly from our “hearts and eyes”. Lovingly and patiently,
he took the time to show us in scripture why we needed a Savior and that
in fact we were sinners (separated from God) already condemned to hell. I
reluctantly agreed to all that he showed us in the Bible. The “veil”
finally lifted when I realized that if salvation was secured by my being
good, what purpose did Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection serve? He
explained that it was by the unmerited favor of God through the death of
His Son that we obtain eternal life and a more abundant life here on
earth, not anything we do. Dumb me, I thought it was religion and it
turned out to be a relationship. I finally understood that “religion” is
created by man to reach-out to find favor with God, and that Christianity
was God Almighty reaching down to us. Very simple, but difficult to
accept since the implication is that God does everything and I do nothing
to earn my way into Heaven. How could it be that God would love us so much
to pay the “price” for my rebellion (sin) against Him. I realized that He
did it all and if I would just accept Him as Savior and Lord, the pressure
would be off me to please God through my good works, of which I was not
capable of doing anyway. That afternoon, Marilyn and I, gave our lives
over to His care and were “born again” spiritually. The next day (Sunday)
we all (daughters, Stephanie, Tiffany and Melanie) went forward as a
family during the alter call and made our profession of faith publicly
before the Church and the following Sunday, July 1st (our
wedding anniversary), we were all baptized in water by Pastor Couch.
By the way, Buster and his wife, Carol, did
eventually give their lives over to Jesus’ saving grace and have a deep
abiding relationship with Him. The Lord was working on them through
different circumstances and people while we were under going our
conversion. Marilyn and I continue in that “walk” with our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, dedicated to telling others that it’s not
“religion”, but a relationship with God Almighty Himself…a continuing
process of letting Him control more and more of our lives.
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