Thankful

I don’t find myself thanking God simply for being saved often enough but did so in a quick prayer this morning. My mind went back to 1975 when I was in Navy boot camp. It was after taps so the barracks lights were out everywhere except the head (bathroom to landlubbers.) While washing my hands at the sink, in the mirror I saw two guys sitting on adjacent toilets and in the only available light they were reading their little Gideon Bibles commonly passed out to the Armed Forces recruits. As I was accustomed to doing when I met Christians, I engaged them in an argument about Christianity. Normally, I came out ahead in these debates (or imagined I did) but this time I unwittingly found myself tangled up with a US Military issued team of Peter and Paul.

Within minutes, I sat down on a toilet next to them and began asking them questions which they were able to answer. They had a tract named ‘The Four Spiritual Laws’ which they read and explained to me, then asked me if I wanted to make Jesus Lord of my life. I began to tell them maybe at a later time but something inside of me said, “NOW!”

We three young sailors bowed our heads while sitting on those toilets and they lead me through a sinner’s prayer. I walked in the head a 17-year-old condemned to hell, I walked out a son of God.

I have no idea what happened to those two stars of light, but I know what happened to me. I was kept by a loving merciful God and Savior for all these years, even when at times I have run hard away from Him. Today I thank Him—I thank Him that I have eternal life.