August 2, 2018 Thursday

“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;” (1Peter 5:2 NKJV)

            This verse and this devotion are very personal to me because this is my 60^th birthday! To some this may be a day to fear but to me it is very special.

            As a teenager I became an alcoholic and at the age of 19 was given three months to live. I used to tell people I wished it was longer but truthfully I really didn’t care because I was more afraid of living than of dying.

            It was sent home for two weeks before I went to my next base to die. The pain and agony of my disease ravaged me and made my days a living nightmare. I could only hope I would be able to sleep and not feel the pain.

            Mrs. Richardson, whose son had been a friend in high school, took me to her Pentecostal church where a circle of men prayed for me. As I left an old white-haired gentleman told me “remember you are healed by the stripes on Christ’s back.” Since then I have sought to give my life to Jesus Christ who gave his life for me.

            After a few years of discipleship God used this verse not only as my call but how I was to live out my call. Through God’s power and strength I have sought to serve as I have been served and to love as I have been loved. In the many times when I have failed God has found a way to bring blessing from it.

            For the last year and half I have been on disability and constantly in pain and struggle with weariness. I have maxed out most of my medicines and am in what the doctors call the maintenance mode. Though I have had to leave the pastoral ministry which I loved God still uses many to pray and to send cards to shut-ins. The great adventure with God continues.

            I can honestly say this has been the longest three years of my life. But since the time Jesus healed me I have found not only the wondrous joy of God’s great adventure of life but also to look with joy to the time I will see my Lord and My Love face-to-face!

            What is your story of how you met Jesus? Do you share it with others to bring glory to God and hope to their lives? Is your life as a Christian a great adventure with God?