Written by Pastor Mark Driskill
September 22, 2011

Read Ephesians 2:5

“Even when we were dead in our trespasses,(God) made us alive together with Christ,”

At my most helpless moment, the grace of God rescued me. My soul lay dead amidst the wreckage of a life without God. Twisted motives, shattered bits of hope and black smoking regret limping across the highway held silent vigil around me. My mangled soul sank down into death, helpless. Hopeless. No voice within me to call out for help. Eyes glazed in death unable to see. Heart and mind silenced, unable to even want help.

I wasn’t even able to be aware that I was dead in sin. In my final moments I could hear muffled voices uttering grim phrases, “Too bad” “Too late” “If only..” Then dark silence swallowed what consciousness I had. All voices faded. Senses collapsed. Time stopped. There was nothing I could do or even wish to do. I simply lay there along the highway sinking into oblivion. Without hope. Without Help. Dead in my own wreckage.

It was then that he found me. Red lights flashing hope, sirens blaring angel songs screamed into the night air. He stood over my helpless corpse and knelt down all the way into the deepest darkest place of my being. He called my name while nail pierced hands glowing with resurrection power lifted my lifeless head. Brushing away the slivers from my face he spoke life into my empty lungs and started me breathing in marvelous hope and peace.

Emptied veins now filled with the lifeblood of forgiveness set my heart racing with new passion. Pouring living water into my blackened and parched lips he stirred my once dead soul to life eternal. Raising me up from the wreckage he set me on my feet and began teaching me how to walk again.

I’m in rehab now learning how to live again. With each new step strength comes, painfully at times, but the pain that comes with healing is joyous and full of hope. Open wounds now replaced with scars bear witness to my rescue. Faint memories of the wreckage still haunt me and sometimes give me nightmares, but day by day healing comes as past regret is swallowed up by future hope. I still walk with a limp, and my eyes are ever learning how to see clearly.

Sometimes I wonder how long I will be in recovery. There are days when it seems like I’m falling back into death. Breathing gets hard and wounds not fully healed begin to ache and bleed. But with one touch of my savior’s hand, strength returns.  I may not be all I would like to be, but by his grace I’m not what is used to be. I was dead and now am alive and all I can do is thank my rescuer and keep walking.  Just keep walking.

Pastor Mark Driskill
Web Minister of Begotten By the Word web ministry
See our website at http://ourchurch.com/member/b/bbtw
and
www.facebook.com (to group “begotten by the word”)
Begotten By the Word is a ministry of Helping Hands Christian resources-Evangelism Outreach
www.hhcr05.org
(Feel free to copy in any way that will bring glory to God and further his kingdom.)