Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Light and Dark (05/21/09)
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TITLE: Deliverance | Previous Challenge Entry
By Gail Koop
05/28/09 -
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Since walking out of rehab, his sister’s number was the only one he remembered. What he’d forgotten, though, was that she’d become one of those “born again” Christians, claiming that God helped her to stop drinking. Yeah, right.
Mary was direct, but loving. “No, John, you’re not fine. If you were fine, you’d still have your teeth. If you were fine, you’d still be married, have your son. If you were fine, you’d have a home and a job, not be living on the street. If you keep drinking, John, you’ll die.”
Her soft tone belied the slam to his heart. He tightened his grip around the pint of Gordon’s. “Everyone dies, Mary.”
“Yes, John, that’s true. But not everyone drinks themselves to death.”
“Look, Mary. I’m doing things my way now, okay? I never wanted to go to any of those rehabs. I went because you and mom pushed me.”
Recognizing what she was dealing with, Mary closed her eyes and reached for the Lord’s hand. At the clink of armor, the demons recoiled.
“John, I know you want to drink. I did, too. But God took that desire away when I asked him to, with my whole heart. He’ll do the same for you. The only condition is you have to want it.” Before he had a chance to respond, she began to pray. “Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus…” Static began to fill the line, but she continued. “…I thank you in advance, God, for changing John’s heart, for taking away his desire to drink and replacing it with a desire for you. Create in him a clean heart, Oh God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
The static became intermittent and then silence filled the receiver. “John? I couldn’t hear you. Did you say Amen?”
He hadn’t, but then did, emphasizing the second syllable in annoyance. “Okay, Mary. I just wanted to touch base. Goodbye.”
_______________
John snapped Mario’s cell phone shut, sorry he’d called. He reached over to the next bench and handed the phone back to his friend, who was warming his hands over a fire in a rusted oil drum.
“So how’s your sister? Still got that big place up in New York?”
“Yeah, she’s still there. But all she does now is preach to me. I can’t stand it.”
“Well, you better get used to it, buddy. You know the conditions at the mission – no chow or bed unless you sit through the service.”
“Yeah, I know. But at least there’s a bunch of us, not just me being preached at.” John took a long swig, the numbing fire burning his throat. Just as he fell off the bench and tumbled into darkness.
_______________
He was on his back, arms and legs splayed. A heavy weight bound him, as if he were pinned to a wrestling mat. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The blackness, the fear, was consuming. Yet in the periphery was a gauzy blue light, the murmur of soft voices. In his mind he screamed for help. But he couldn’t speak.
_______________
“HELP ME!” John sat up with a start. His head throbbed and was bandaged.
“Woa, boy. Here, settle down.” An elderly nurse gently took him by the shoulders and eased him back to a lying position. Then she began adjusting the intravenous drip.
His heart fluttered like a caged bird. “What happened?”
“You had an alcohol-induced seizure. Cracked your head open on the cement. Only the grace of God saved you, child.” The twist of the door knob caught their attention. Mario walked in.
“Hey man, you okay? Boy, you freaked me out. Good thing my brother paid up my cell phone or I couldn’t of called 911.” Mario searched his jacket pocket, pulled out a small pamphlet and handed it to John. “And, here, the pastor at the mission told me to bring this to you. It’s from the sermon last night.”
John opened the pamphlet. As he read the highlighted words, his eyes welled. “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’”**
John read it again, his sister’s voice echoing the piercing message. “The only condition is you have to want it.”
John wiped his eyes. “Hey, Mario. Can I borrow your phone again?”
**John 5:6
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