TRUTH STRICKEN

  The Pastor stands at the front of the sanctuary readying himself for the morning worship service. His mind drifts back to earlier as he tries to remember turning off the coffee pot at home. As he quickly asks forgiveness for getting off track, he looks up to find a young man standing at the entrance doors. The young man is quiet but looking straight at him. Good morning! The pastor said. Welcome! Please join us for service. Finally after a long silence, the young man extends his hand in a gesture to shake and says “the name is Danny”.

Good to meet you Danny, I’m Pastor Ginny but you can call me Ralph if you’d like. At that Danny seemed to drop his stance from ready to run to comfortable and took a seat. He stayed for the whole service looking confused as Pastor Ginny talked about Jesus and how much he loves all of God’s children. Somehow the message seemed false. Like a fairy tale that many people believed.

Danny worked at a grocery store called Orchard’s best and over the next few days as he went about his job tidying the fruit stands and such, the thought of Sunday’s message kept popping into his head. How or why would God love the people of the world? Danny asked himself. With all of the non-sense of violence, drugs, alcohol and the like, why would God love this? Danny could not settle the thought so he shrugged it off as he remembered the reality of his own twisted life of abuse.

With three older sisters and four older brothers, Danny was the baby of the lot and felt as if he’d never become old enough to move out of his parents house. His dad liked to drink till drunk. Until he morphed into a different darker person that no one liked and who enjoyed torturing whoever was around to listen with verbal assaults and slandering. Sadly Danny was often the recipient of his dad’s thoughtless comments though mom was the one that Danny felt for most. His mom was a quiet woman with a beauty that radiated from within. When she smiled, your heart would melt. Danny never understood how a woman like her ever fell in love with a man like his dad. Danny had often overstepped his bounds trying to talk his mom into leaving him but she was a strict believer in death do us part. What she didn’t realize was that her children were already dead inside because of years of listening to their dad’s harsh words of abuse.

Only two of Danny’s siblings had graduated. His sister Laura was studying psychology. His brother Jed worked as an ocean cop patrolling Canadian borders and watching for foreign ships.  His headquarters was in the province of Alberta. Danny’s guess was that picking apart their dad’s sick and twisted mind was the underlying reason why his sister would choose a career like psychology.

One Saturday afternoon around 2:30 pm Danny was at home watching his favorite show The Wild Kingdom when he heard a knock at the door. It was his friend Peter. Wanna go find the guys and see what they’re up to? Peter asked. Sure I’ll get my coat answered Danny. It was Danny’s Saturday off and he didn’t really have plans. They decided to go over to Rick’s house. Rick was a little older, about 22 and had his own apartment in the shadier part of town.  As they arrived they noticed a couple of different cars parked outside. Upon entering Rick’s apartment they were welcomed by Brian, Alvin, and Greg. By the looks of them they had been there awhile, Danny thought. Brian’s speech was already slurring and Greg looked happier than any normal person. Danny knew that they were into something. The thought didn’t finish in his mind when Danny noticed cigarette papers and a small bag of marijuana on the side table. With his suspicions confirmed he decided it was none of his business and proceeded toward the kitchen. As Danny entered the kitchen he found Rick and Peter standing around the cupboards talking up a storm and drinking a beer. How are you Rick?  Danny asked. I’m great! Rick answered. Would you like a beer? Rick offered Danny.  Why not? Danny replied. 

Two hours later they were all gathered in the living room watching football and drinking beer. Alvin rolled up a cigarette of marijuana, lit it and passed it to Brian. Brian passed it to Greg and so on. When it came around to Danny, he was already feeling no pain because of the amount of beers he’d already consumed. Danny thought “why not”? About ten minutes later Danny’s head started to spin. As he got up and walked outside thinking fresh air would help, he was wrong and without realizing it was coming tossed up his lunch. Feeling better for a minute Danny went back into the apartment. Seconds later came round two of vomiting.

An hour later hearing a knock, Danny lifted his head from the bathroom floor. He had passed out drunk. It was his friends checking to see if he was ok and wanting use of the washroom. Head groggy and messed up Danny opened his eyes to find that the light only brought back the nausea. This repelled him back to his knees before the toilet for yet another round. 

Somehow but not remembering how, Danny found himself at the front door of his parents house. It was about three am. Sneaking inside in hopes that no one would catch him coming home so late. His dad speaks groggily from his drunken stupor. “What are you doing boy?” What time is it? Where have you been? Out with friends Danny quickly retorted.  What kind of an idiot would want you as a friend? His dad replied, laughing loudly. Danny angrily continued upstairs to find himself yet again bowing before the toilet. By now with a messed up head and a sore stomach Danny is starting to sober up.

The morning brought nothing but thoughts of last night’s events teasing him piece by piece, little by little. He drank way too many beers and couldn’t fully remember the night before. Danny started to question himself. Why did I even go there? I knew they’d be partying! What was I thinking? I’ll never drink again, Danny concluded. 

The following week Danny also had Saturday off and without much thought wound up repeating the previous Saturday. Vomiting and head spinning, Danny once again questions himself. What is wrong with me? As he looked in the mirror his reflection was one of horror. It was a younger version of his dad that was looking back at him. That thought made him so angry that he punched a hole in the bathroom wall before falling to his knees in tears of self pity. Why am I doing this? Why am I so stupid? Who am I? Danny didn’t know. Without warning the story of Jesus jumped into his head. But Danny quickly shrugged it off saying to himself “why would God ever love a loser like me? 

A week went by this time. Danny luckily had to work. He wasn’t looking forward to a third repeat of the same events. Just then his boss Mr. Lynch stepped outside and said “you’re doing a fine job Danny”. I don’t think that I tell you often enough. Danny smiled with surprise but thankful for the compliment. Danny really didn’t know how to take a compliment for lack of. He wasn’t used to positive people in his life.

Sunday morning as Danny thankfully awoke clear headed, he looked at the clock. It was eight am. Danny thought “what shall I do today?” Church and Pastor Ginny jumped to mind. Many doubts later, Danny decided why not? The service doesn’t start till eleven he told himself. Out of the bed he jumped into the shower.

Dressed for church Danny heads downstairs thankfully to find no sign of his dad. He strolls to the kitchen where his mom is standing making bread. Danny sneaks up behind her and gives her a big hug. What’s for breakfast? Pancakes in the oven, the young man's mom replied. Yum! Danny said, grabbing a pancake with his fingers. Thanks mom! You’re the best! Danny exclaimed. Mom didn’t know what got into her son this morning to make him so hyper and happy but whatever it was, she wanted to see more of it and she was thankful.

Danny decided to be at the church about ten minutes before it started and hopefully have a chance to speak with Pastor Ginny again. He was very curious these days about God and Jesus and really needed some very important answers to some very important questions. As he walked in the door he realized that ten minutes wasn’t enough time. Danny decided that he would have to wait till after the service to speak with the Pastor. 

Just then Danny recognised the Pastor’s voice as he was starting his sermon. He began by welcoming all in the day’s congregation and then proceeded to give his message. The topic of the day’s service was finding Jesus in a mean world. The Pastor went on to say that God hates the ugliness and evil that exists in the world. God hates the detestable things that people do on a regular basis that goes against who God is. All of this is called sin and every man, woman, and child commits sin against Him. Even though God hates all sin, He loves His children more. God’s love for his children overpowers His hate for sin. Let’s turn to John 3:16 Pastor Ginny said. The Bible says For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. What a blessing of a promise God gives us in this verse.

This means that God knew our sins. He knew our evil hearts. Yet if anyone here believes in his heart that God exists, confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and also believes that God raised Him from the dead for their sins then they are saved.  If there is anyone here who feels they have had enough, that life makes no sense and who wholeheartedly desires to make changes, the first step is to ask. Ask Jesus to come into your life. Tell God that you believe and give Him free reign of your life to make His changes. You will not be disappointed, Pastor Ginny replied. 

Danny was really feeling the intensity of this message for it answered so many of the questions in his heart. The truth that God loves him that much while knowing all of his faults began to overwhelm his heart to the point of tears. This was truly soul searching stuff. Danny knew that he was ready for change and he wanted it to be sooner than later.  Then the pastor abruptly dismissed his congregation. He told them to go boldly and tell all of the good news of Jesus. Danny stood up to leave and as he did Pastor Ginny came walking toward him and handed him a Bible all his own.

Danny went straight home after the service to find beer bottles scattered around. That was a normal sight but it meant that dad must be home. He just shook his head at the thought of his dad’s wasted life. What makes him so mean? Danny wondered. He walked into his room and placed his Bible on the side table next to his bed. Danny decided that he would read it later. All he wanted to do now was to lay and think. The day had brought a whole lot of stuff to absorb. Too much at once Danny knew. It was going to take some time.

The following Friday was a slow one at work and Mr. Lynch decided to give him the rest of the day off. Go have some fun Mr. Lynch told him. Danny had better plans. He had spent the last five days thinking about Sunday’s lesson and what it all meant to his own life. It’s time he thought that he opened God’s word. Danny’s mom was curious when he asked not to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. She noticed how much time he was spending at home these days and was comfortable with the change. Better than all nighters’ coming home drunk and sick.

He changed into comfy clothes and sat on his bed. Looking at his Bible sitting there came a weird uncomfortable feeling. He shrugged it off and opened the pages. It was the New Testament. He read and read and the more he did he became more entranced by its contents. He knew this was what he wanted. He knew that God was who he’s been looking for to fill that huge hole in his heart. When he read the word he felt at peace. Danny sure felt conviction but always followed by the flow of Jesus' love.

Early the next morning as Danny awoke from his slumber he noticed his Bible still open and clinging to his chest. He must have fallen asleep reading it. As he sat up on the side of his bed the words poor in spirit followed by Jesus loves me jumped to his mind. Danny couldn’t help but smile wide. Just then the telephone rang. It was Rick with an invitation to a party he was throwing. Danny thankfully refused saying that he had already had plans for the day and night.

About one in the afternoon Danny arrived at Pastor Ginny’s house. With an amused but curious look the Pastor opened the door. Yes son? Pastor Ginny asked.  Danny didn’t really know where to start so he just blurted out “I want to be a Christian”. That's a wonderful son! I’ll get my jacket and we’ll talk. As they walked Danny explained how he had spent most of the week thinking and reading his Bible. How it all started to come together for him in his heart and that he had gotten to know God quite a bit since they last talked. Finally with tears in his eyes Danny looked at pastor Ginny and confessed. I want to be a pastor.

Mr. Ginny was stunned for a moment, but then asked “do you realize what this entails? Yes Danny answered. The only trouble is the money to go to Bible school. Well said Pastor Ginny that part can be all worked out. God has special things for those who truly want to live for him and that following Sunday Danny was baptized by the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Ginny was elated at the news and first thing Monday morning began to make phone calls to all the right people. He was able to find the money to pay Danny’s tuition to Bible school. They both began meeting together daily for prayer and fellowship. God’s word truly became Danny’s life and the people who had known him began to see the big transformation. Danny was the top gossip story of the town and he was very proud of it. He was eating supper with his mom one afternoon when his dad walked in. Drunk of course, he uttered a slur as usual but all Danny had to say was Jesus loves you too dad. As he said the words Danny stood to his feet and gave him a hug, then turned on his heel and headed for his bedroom.

Pastor Ginny came to see Danny at work the following week and told him that all was fine in his plans to go to Bible College, but that Danny needed to finish high school first. I rather had that one figured out Pastor, replied Danny with a grin. They both went for ice-cream to celebrate.  

About a month went by before Danny saw his dad again after that. They seemed to keep missing each other as they came and went from the house. It was a slow day at work one Thursday afternoon when thoughts of his dad popped into his head. He started to think it strange to have not seen him in a while. He decided to ask for the rest of the day off and went home. When he got home his dad was in the living room watching baseball on television. To Danny’s surprise he wasn’t holding a beer. His dad caught the look of surprise in his eyes and quickly looked away in shame. He realized how much pain he had inflicted over the years. Words are sometimes very difficult to say and so they both stayed quiet. The silence between them spoke more than words could ever say and they were both equally thankful. Then out of nowhere his Dad turned to him and said I’m sorry son. Danny knew that God had also been touching his dad’s heart.

The weeks and months following that day were filled with time spent together with Danny and his dad getting to know each other better and catching up on all that was missed by dad’s bad life choices. His parents started to come to church together. It didn’t always happen every week but Danny knew that sometimes it takes time. What he knew wholeheartedly was that as long as God is the one at work, it is a sure thing. Danny trusted God fully. There were many more changes for his life and Danny decided that he would be always watching for the next thing that God was about to do and the next year in September he started at Bible college.

Dear Jesus, I lift up to you right now the life of the person reading this story. That you will bring conviction to their heart and make your love known to him/her. In your precious name Jesus... Amen!