OM, I NEED HELP!” Then early one May morning, Jim
M
Desperate and alone, my
‘SON
,
pulled into my driveway. “Can I talk to
son Jim was calling at 4 you for a while?” he began, visibly shak-
a.m., reaching out from his en. “I have to make some changes in my
brokenness and despair.
JESUS STILL
life. If I go on living like this, I won’t be
Years of alcohol, drugs, and alive much longer.”
promiscuity had left him Slowly, Jim uncovered his true heart
feeling worthless and alone. As he shared and feelings—layer by layer, story after
his feelings of hopelessness, his fragile
LOVES YOU’
story, with tears of honesty as he described
voice cried, “I just don’t want to live any- some of the wrong choices he had made
more.” He felt he had gone too far, that in his life. When he had finished, God
God could not love him anymore.
by Abigail Jenkins
reminded me to tell him, as I had for
For 11 years I had prayed for him, years, “Son, Jesus still loves you. Why
knowing I had reared him “in the way he don’t you give your life to Him today?”
should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Now, as in Astonishingly, while I was still talking,
years past, I spoke to Jim about the Lord’s he silently nodded, saying, “OK, I want to
great love, gently reminding him, “Son, give my life to Jesus. I want to stop living
Jesus still loves you.” like this.”
He rejected my words. As if controlled Both stunned and elated at this pre-
by a darkness beyond himself, he began cious moment, I prayed with my son as
to make excuses. “It can’t be that simple. he gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ to
I can’t live like I have, and then give all forgive and change. When we finished,
my problems to God.” Jim looked at me with tears in his eyes.
Again I encouraged him to give his “No matter how much alcohol or drugs I
life to Jesus, assuring him of God’s love took, no matter where I was, I could not
and mercy. But he refused. get away from ‘Son, Jesus still loves you.’”
Jim resumed his chaotic lifestyle. No matter how far you may have run
Month after month, as he talked about from the Lord, He loves you too. Is it time
how hard his life was, my response was for you to come back? Jesus has not given
always the same: “Son, Jesus still loves up on you—and He never will.
you. Give your life to the Lord.” I sadly
watched him close his heart to what Abigail Jenkins is a much-published writer
would help him most. who lives in Swartz Creek, Michigan.
THE
Acknowledge you have sinned
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”
KEYS TO
(1 John 1:8).* “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
ETERNAL
Believe in Jesus
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “For God so
LIFE
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
CHRIST PAID for our Confess and renounce your sin
salvation with His death
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that
on the cross, but for us
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). “If we confess
to accept this gift is as our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
simple as using these
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
keys to unlock the door: *Scriptures are from the New International Version.
EVANGEL • JUNE 2009 27
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