FROM WHERE DO YOU COME?

Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

It was about three months after I turned 16 years old, a small gaggle of pimple faced fellow 16 year olds were enjoying the freedom of rolling about town and being obnoxious. That's what 16 years olds with a driver license and a car did. The word obnoxious does not do justice to the shenanigans of these worshipers of stupidity. I was driving!

The car was stopped at a red light at the corner of the Boulevard and Prince Street. A little old lady with pure white hair, carrying a paper bag of groceries was crossing, from left to right, in front of the car. I Swear I did not know that she was blind, and I certainly did not see the white stick in her left hand. With a sudden satanic grin, and a wicked giggle, I honked the horn! Groceries went everywhere!

Me and my buddies were paralyzed with uncontrolled laughter and none of us noticed the huge tree branch of an arm enter my open window and biggest man that I had ever seen in my life then withdrew me from the vehicle. Through the window! My buddies all bailed out and ran.

As this Goliath of a man carried me about, my neck fully encompassed by a massive hand, he moved me from here to there picking up every can, every package, every item that had fallen from the paper bag, and returning them to the proper place in the sack. A few times my feet were actually in contact with the ground. The man had my whole neck and a good part of my head in his massive right hand, and he turned my head toward the lady, whom I had just learned was his mother. He said quietly to me “Say your are sorry”

Tears began to flow down my cheeks as the words left my mouth, partly because I had a feeling this was not going to end well. The man then turned my face toward him, and he said “tell me that you are sorry”. I was a groveling mess of slobber at this time and shaking like a leaf. Finally, he lessened his grip a bit advising me that his mother had already forgiven me, and that God had forgiven me, but that he was neither her, nor God. He whispered in my ear, “if I ever see you again, I will snap your neck!”. With that he turned me loose.

About 15 to 20 folks had gathered, traffic was backed up, and I walked slowly back to the car, with my head hung low, thankful that I was still in one piece and not bleeding anywhere.

That day I witnessed Satan kick-start a temptation. I had the ability to stop it before it matured. I did not. I then witnessed the wonder and might of God working through the biggest man I had ever seen rebuke me with a powerful arm, and then forgive me for being such a jerk. I remember this day as it were yesterday. I have never forgotten the grace and the mercy shown by a wondrous God through a vessel of a man, in righting a wrong and forgiving a transgression.

Act 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

Fifty Four years later, I would answer HIS call.

Thank-you JESUS !

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

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