Rock Writers’ Guild

From Death to Life

I didn’t want to go.  It would mean that I would miss my first varsity football game.  I, even tried to negotiate and leave after the game, but my dad wasn’t buying it.  My uncle, his youngest brother had died in a one car accident and the funeral was this weekend.  Being a selfish 16 year old was nothing new and this time would be no different.  My thoughts only consisted of what a huge inconvenience this was for me and how unfair it was that my uncle would up and die on us like this.  Didn’t he realize what a big moment this was for me?

God realized it in more ways than one.  He understood that this would be the most significant weekend of my life.  The event that would lay the ground work for all He would do in me and through me up to this point in my life.  It would be this September weekend that Jesus choose to bring me out of darkness and into His light and life ever lasting.

The circumstances that surrounded my uncle’s death were no mystery.  He had a habitual drug problem that nearly took his life 3 years prior to his death.  Even that experience could not help him overcome this habit that plagued him. 

During the service another one of my dad’s brothers took an opportunity to share a testimony about his God and what He had done.  My Uncle Larry preached like I had never heard him before.  His impromptu sermon included telling the entire congregation about his brother’s drug addiction.  Uncle Larry’s sermon ending with him giving an alter call to all who were willing to come down front and confess that they needed Jesus. 

My heart was racing and it felt like it was ready to leap out of my chest.  I could not understand why this was happening to me.  I had been a good Catholic boy.  I did not get into that much trouble.  I had done all the things required of faithful practicing Catholics to be considered “saved”, right?

The invitation was given and I can remember rising to my feet to walk down the outside aisle and falling into my Uncle’s arms with tears rolling down my face.  It did not even occur to me what I had done or who I had done it in front of.  I had just confessed my need for Jesus in front my entire family.  Desperation will cause you to do things that you may not ordinarily do if given a chance to think about it.  The beauty of it is, is that I had a need and Jesus was the only one who could satisfy. 

He saved me, and over the course of the last 20 years He has continued to clean and refine this vessel.  Some of the images of that day have faded from memory but the significance will never leave me, because it started the journey from death to life.