I was blessed with parents who loved the Lord with the same deep and sincere love they had for the Living Word. I ventured from one stage of life to another dwelling at home where the truth was taught and lived. When I was of age and understanding I seized hold of the heritage of the promises of the fathers of old. On leaving the waters of baptism I failed to appreciate to the full what riches, pleasure and honour had been bestowed upon me. I had been adopted into the royal house of God to be called of Him, my son. Like the prodigal, son I was not content with this for through the window of my world I saw just over and beyond pastures which looked greener. The more I looked the more I felt, well I could just go there for awhile. It would be alright, it was a short trip I would soon come back. Sad to say I travelled long and far and with each year that passed I began to lose those things that I had known so well when I walked the courts of my Heavenly Father’s house. The Word was no longer frontlets to my eyes. My sword of the Spirit had been traded a long time ago for the mighty dollar. With this in my hand I bought the pleasures of this life for a season. But they were not everlasting or fulfilling. Each day was spent in a crazy search for contentment, peace and assurance that all was well. Had we found it now at last with the new found relationship of this young beautiful girl ? The echo of God’s warning so many years ago to His children was lost in the excitement of the moment: How often He had pleaded with them not to go after the Canaanitish women that would turn them from Him. What concern amongst the angels in heaven as they saw this son of God go from this relationship to be caught up in the evil practice of gambling and other vices that crowd the dark quarters of our cities.
And with all this wandering and wasting of the heritage that had been given to me there were moments in the stillness of the night, the loneliness of my room that my thoughts would return to the house of my God and I would remember someday I would still have to appear at the judgment Seat. How perplexed, how strife ridden at times my heart was. Yet there was no place now for me, I could not return. I had even lost sight of the way I came, but how shallow was my understanding of the Mighty One in heaven. I was to learn so soon that the door was always open, my Father and His beloved Son who stood at His side waited there to welcome him who was lost. God works in wonderful and strange ways. Circumstances divinely arranged I am convinced now happened to set my feet back on that road to the House of my Heavenly Father. Nearly thirty nine years after leaving the truth, one day there was a knock at my apartment door and on opening it I was confronted by a complete stranger who introduced himself by saying he knew one of my friends. With this I let him in and we spent some time conversing, during which he disclosed himself as a Union official. At one point he followed me into the bedroom at that time putting a knife to my throat and forcing me to lie down. He then bound me hand and foot, gagging my mouth so I could not alarm my neighbors. Having done this he set out to burglarize my apartment. His search seemed to continue for eternity. He never did find what he was searching for and on leaving I realized he had been sent by a former acquaintance. Fear paralyzed me, what of tomorrow, would there be similar visits. What a mess I had made of my life. What could I do, where could I go? Friends advised me to move. Wherever I went there would always be that fear now of the shadows, the footsteps, and the knock on my door that could bring terror again to my heart. How puny is man to help himself. I kept my blinds drawn at all times, never opening the door unless it was a familiar voice. I changed my phone number, and kept a gun on a chair beside me at all times. Having come to the eating of the swines meat I thought again of the house that I had left. I did then the only sensible thing falling on my knees I prayed to the Almighty for His hand to reach out and help me. Having done this I then waited upon Him and while I waited I took His Word again in my hand and allowed the pages to fall open before me. They opened to Psalm 27 and there I listened to my Father. “The Lord is my light and salvation: whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid.” The strength from knowing God anew allowed me to lift the covers from my window, pull back the locks on my door, cast aside the gun. Walking out into the brightness of the sun I rejoiced and gave thanks that I was again in the safety, comfort and peace of the house of God.
Fear never fills my heart any more, only the brotherly concern that I have for others especially those whose adoption is still new that they may also falter. My appeal in telling this story is that your sights will always be towards the one who sits at the head of the table.
What comfort He offers us now in His words, “Lo I am with you always even until the end of the world.”
This is a true story told to me by Brother Jerry Tomlinson of California. —
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One