Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
As the New Year begins I want to tell you my story of coming to Christ so you know why I am compelled and led to send out these daily devotions.
On Saturday morning March 11, 1978 at 8:00 a.m., while working as an apprentice plumber, Lee (the journeyman plumber) and I walked into a new house under construction to run water and sewer lines in the basement. At 8:10 a.m. Lee went to light his torch and the house blew up. I can remember the sound of the blast of igniting gas and being on the dirt floor of the basement on fire. I stood up and my coat, a polyester filled winter coat, was totally on fire and melting. I was trying to beat the fire out but it just kept burning and then there was an audible voice that said “Daryl pull off your coat”. It was as audible as someone standing next to you shouting for you to do something.
I can not explain much about this other than an Angel of God speaking to save me from more sever burns. The verse that continues to come to mind and is very real for me is “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us“. You see, up until this time, I gave no thought to God. I lived for me, myself, and I. I was lost and on my way to hell for eternity and did not even know it.
I pulled off my coat and made my way to the stairway. Lee was at the top of the steps and the door was blocked. Every time we went to grab the door more and more skin from our hands would peel off and hang down from our hands. I don’t remember much pain at this time nor do I remember any fire in the stairway but Lee said there was.
We were finally able to make our way out by kicking, pushing, and climbing through a small opening. We went outside and I laid in a snow bank. A neighbor came over and took us to the hospital. I still remember his name Wayne Hull.
I was off work for 6 months and had skin grafts to remove scaring once per year for 4 years . While in the hospital I remember the visits of Dawn’s uncle, Harold Mead. He would stop up and pray for me. There is a lot of pain associated with being burned and when he prayed I seemed to have a short time of comfort from this pain.
I was not a very good patient nor did I treat my wife well during this time. I made her life as painful as mine. There is no excuse for this.
During the six months off Harold would take me fishing once or twice per week to the Mississippi river which was a two hour drive away. All the way over and all the way back he would talk of Jesus Christ and the need for forgiveness of sin. I hated those rides. I did not want to hear it. But I did like to fish and fishing took my mind off of recuperating.
God’s word does not return void. God used Harold to proclaim His word to me. God softened my heart and opened my mind to the need of redemption and forgiveness of sin through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
On Thursday, March 22, 1979 our neighbors across the street (Rich and Linda Phillips) asked us to come to hear an evangelist speak at their church. We sat in the back of the church about three pews from being able to escape out the back. The evangelist that evening was Joe Schultz and every word that came out of his mouth spoke to me. It was as though he was only speaking to me.
At the end of his preaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and the need for forgiveness of sin, he said “if God as spoken to your heart do not leave here without coming to Jesus”. “Come down and receive Him into your heart”. That night God opened my heart, mind and soul to see His son in a way I had not ever seen before. I saw my sin and separation from God, I saw my life without any hope of salvation from eternal life in hell and I my only hope was in and through Jesus Christ. I was changed that evening. I was made new. I knew without a doubt that evening I was redeemed, saved, and had become a child of God.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life“
I would like to say that my life has always put God first but that would be a lie. As I look back over the years there have been not just short times but years where I just played being a follower and did things that only served myself. These were times I pretended or performed in ways that would make you would think I was right with God but in fact I was not. I was only living for God on Sunday morning and lived like the rest of the world Monday through Saturday. There was no markable difference in the way I lived compared those who knew nothing of God’s word. How shameful is that. I neglected His word and was very complacent in living my life for Him. I believed a lie that this was good enough. I was good enough. Our sinful nature is good at telling us lies, and void of His word in our lives, leaves us very open to believing these lies as truth.
I look back at this time and wonder what put me on this path. It is clear now that I chose to neglect His word and without this daily feeding and refreshing my heart, mind, and soul I lost my way and was on a path that did not honor or glorify the Him and the great price that was paid for my redemption/salvation and eternal life. I wanted the benefits but did not want to have to live for Him. We can not have two masters in our life. Only one will be served. I had chosen ME.
Praise be to God He did not leave me in this state. He brought me back and continues to refine and guide me to live in such a way that honors and glorifies Him. I fight my sinful nature every day. I am only able to fight this through His word, through His power, through His leading, through His indwelling Holy Spirit, through His wisdom and understanding.
Having walked this path of neglect and complacency God laid on my heart and led me to send out a daily email to a few of the men at our church to put the word of God before them each day. In the beginning it would be one or two verses of what I had read that day and a short comment on it. Over the years this single verse did not seem to convey all that God was speaking to my heart and the emails got longer. On my 60th birthday my boys gave me a very very special gift, this website. And so was the start of Prayingpint.com.
It is never to late to choose to start fresh with God. Why not start today. God’s word will change you. You will start to see His hand at work in your life. You will see more clearly just how sinful our natural state is. His word is able to show you the intent and purpose behind every thought and action taken. You will experience more joy, peace, power, courage, hope and love.
Commit to reading 5 minutes of His word everyday and then spend 5 minutes reflecting on what you read. In fact mark each day off on the calendar and see how long you can keep this chain of reading going. Do not let the chain break. Keep your eyes on Him and learn to hear His whispers of guidance for your life. Everyday is new in the Lord. Morning by morning new mercies you will see.
May God keep you close and open your heart, mind and soul to His holiness. May His light shine before you. May He show you His plan and purpose for each day. May He bless you with understanding and wisdom. May He reveal to you the depth and width of His grace, mercy and love. May He use you to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
God bless you this New Year!!
