"Save me, O God; for the waters are come into my soul."
"I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me."
"Save me, O God; for the waters are come into my soul."
"I am weary of crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."
"Save me, O God for the waters are come in unto my soul." Psalm 69:1-3
A maddening cycle - Five days of no sleep, running on high octane drug energy, crash for 48 hours and then right back for more because of the addiction controlled choices that were chained to the soul of the oppressed man -- Names like Lori and Carley, the most precious names in the addict's world, are left in the consequential crossroad, and the trash pile of broken dreams all because … Daddy knew the way back; the way back to hang with the wrong friends as he sensed the unforgettable smell and twin wicked longing for that unquenchable taste for the forbidden. That momentary choice was only 5 days in the past -- and Now he was coming down and crashing in the sickness and gnawing need for "more"... There was a slim ray of light for a "God Moment". But would it come?
The world that was mostly normal, now had been transformed into a maze of deception that is so full of lies, smoke screens and misunderstanding that no one could be trusted. True friends fled for their own protection and preservation. Enemies and pushers would show strange illegal compassion and strong reparative counsel … But there was nowhere to turn for deliverance, nowhere could hope be found, or so it seemed … There was still that tiny flicker of light that could produce a "God Moment"...Though none deserve it … God will bring it!
"Jimmy, Jesus Loves you" (haunted his memory but brought no lasting healing) … Jimmy, look! … Jesus is pictured in the painting that is on your wall, right next to your bed. Remember to kneel and pray in the beginning and the ending of each day... This was lost in the ashes of addiction's guilt and shame. {He knows you have been ashamed to look at the picture for Oh so long. But He has borne and will bear your shame because "that little boy you once were" in desperation called out to Him. Because of your helplessness and your great eternal need - His love for you puts the responsibility and obligation to rescue on Him, for He alone is able. And his plan is already in motion … There will be a God Moment and you won't miss it!}
There was that moment - "Why did you call me, did someone tell you what was going on?"
God touched a tender heart to reach out to you, and His hand guided the timing. There was that first strange business related point of contact, but on the other end of the phone the voice said,
"Jimmy's not here, he is real sick".
The very disturbing "follow up" call to you was the same - you had a tough time even verbalizing -
"Man, I am real sick and can't talk right now" and you hung up.
This just intensified the concern of a servant (who also had been so sick that he couldn't talk at one time), who was now thrown into the "Spirit's compassion mode" with the gnawing question while the phone went dead … "What can I do?" . There was that resolve to call Jimmy at a later time; and God would make sure of it.
Then came the news - Jimmy had missed so much work that he lost his job. Jesus said "Pray for Jimmy!" The broken servant began to pray and planned to call. Days went by with slipping and racing time, always stealing away the opportunity … Leaving the broken servant's heart with that empty feeling of the weight of guilt, because the call wasn't made, and delayed every day for a week.
NOTE: But God Moments are a culmination of His Hand guiding human delays, emotional hesitation, forgetfulness and the Spirit's strong unction that shouts "Now" to the soul of a servant. And all of these worked in God's favor for the momentary rescue of the wandering child.
The call finally went out to a nameless voice mail, and moments later Jimmy called back but the call was missed. But the servant anxiously returned the missed call to step into a God Moment.
Jimmy broke down … Vulnerably, he opened the truth of the shame that he was facing and the deep mire of untold years of cyclical addiction that he was stuck in. He was so embarrassed and so confused as to how the call came, and just as he was "coming down". Any earlier and he would have been too high to reason with; any later, and he would have been in an almost coma-like 48 hour "crash" sleep.
With a few choice words of compassion from the Word of God … Jimmy was ready to cry out for eternal help; hoping that there would be a rescue for him. Tears were more prevailing than words. He didn't want to lose his wife, his child, his life … His soul. His frail attempt to cry out resulted in only two words - "Dear Jesus" as he melted into tears. As the soul of the servant prayed as he felt the brokenness of Jimmy's life and heart, the Spirit joined the sobs of Jimmy's soul as he cried to the heart of the only One who could truly deliver Jimmy … Jesus.
Childlike, Jimmy put his trust in Jesus.
"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken? Why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" Psalm 22:1.
Jesus does love Jimmy, He fully understands the robbery of a soul ransacked by addiction's selfish greed. - Will you join in a season of prayer for Jimmy? Just commit to pray for him every time the Spirit reminds you of Jimmy's name … Pray for Jimmy's deliverance and restoration. If you are touched, this is your time to join in a "God Moment".
Dedicated to a brother who desperately needs our prayers.
HLFA,
Jeff