Always Tried and Proven (19 page)

     “Pride is such a subtle thing.”  He said tiredly.  “I thought I could handle every situation.  I’ve had years of seasoning in the world and in the ministry.  I have the Holy Spirit; I have a God who loves me.  But He showed me that I was full of pride, yet.  And He let me know that He’s not on my side; it’s my responsibility to ensure that I’m on
His
side.”

     He chuckled, but it wasn’t a happy sound.  “I just found out that I am still susceptible to pride; deception; unbelief; loneliness; lust.  Among other things, and not necessarily in that order.  I thank the Lord for showing me how the pride had crept into my heart.  Oh, how humbled I was!  I didn’t think I’d ever have the heart to get up, and walk again.  But I did, with His help.”

    “All he had to do to show me the true condition of my heart, was to introduce me to one beautiful young lady.  I began to care for her, but I lost her.  I tried to hold her, but I discovered that I had nothing to hold her with.”

     Callie gasped her outrage and peered between the bleacher steps, around feet to get a glimpse of Sam.  He was standing there, bigger than life.  The lights were turning his hair to fire.  You could have heard a pin drop in the tent.

     “I didn’t look back.  But when the shock wore off, I began to ask God why.  Why?  Wasn’t I young enough?  Handsome enough?  Rich enough?”  He laughed derisively.  “What shadow boxing.  I knew the reason.  It was because I was identified in Him.  She is a woman of the world, and she didn’t want Him.  She is precious and lovely, and innocent, but hostile to Jesus just the same.”

     “The Lord began to show me that I’d begun looking for an identity outside of Him, so that I might win her.  It was apparent in my questions.  And He explained to me that the world would never love me, if my identity is indeed, in Him.  No matter how rich, handsome or young I might be.  None of those things matter -- if I want Him.  Did I truly still want Him in my life, at any cost?  I wondered.”

      “I began to see just how easily I had drifted out from under his wonderful, mighty hand … into a stronghold, a kingdom that I’d begun building for myself.  The very successful tent ministry.”

      He sighed.  “So, I fell on my face; and I repented.  I gave everything back to the Lord.  I became so grateful that He hadn’t had to destroy the ministry to get my attention.  I am so grateful that he used that vivacious, beautiful young woman to show me the pride and stupidity that I’d stumbled into.”

     "I’ve set her free.  I’ll always pray that someday, I'll have a second chance.  But if that doesn’t happen, I’ll die grateful to God that she was a part of my life for such a short time.  She showed me my lack.  The presence of God in my life was not enough to draw her to Jesus.  I had nothing to give her that tempted her to walk away from the world, and come to the Lord. 
That
realization shook me to my toes.”

     He chuckled.  “I had compromised in my walk with God.  I told her, she didn’t have to accept Jesus, she didn’t have to give up her life or her career.  She knew that what I was suggesting we do, was impossible.  She knew that it was all wrong.  She was wise enough not to yield to the temptation.  She didn’t yield to the lie that it would all work itself out, given some time.  She was stronger than I was.  She saw more clearly than I did, and she wasn’t even a Christian.”

     “I bless her for not yielding.  She knew it would never work, unless we were in unity about Jesus.  She was honest with me.  She put my ministry first.  She wouldn’t let me walk away from my vows to Jesus.”

     He sighed.  “And so, thanks to the lady, I’m living in faith again, and now I’m willing to do things His way.  She was so right to point me back to the path I’d promised God I’d take.”

     He looked around the tent with sharp, burning eyes.  “And tonight, I want to ask each of you.  Are you walking the path that you promised God you’d walk?  Are you walking a path in darkness, without the light of His presence?  If you are, everything can change tonight.”

    From there, Sam led the people into a searching of their own hearts.  Meanwhile, Callie sat under the bleachers and wept.  Oh, how she wished she’d worn her best dress!  But then, she told herself, it wouldn’t matter to Sam.  Not
this
Sam.

     A river of love and cleansing began to flow.  Callie waited in the shadows while Sam laid hands on the people, and prayed for them.  There were so many responding, that Callie couldn’t see Sam at all.  When the crowd finally began to clear, she heard Sam’s voice again.

     “Jimmie, will you come here for a moment, please?”  he asked gently.  Callie was amazed to see her old bass player Jimmie Johnston approach Sam, red-faced.  “Jimmie, the Lord has shown me tonight that you have a disability.  It’s a hidden thing that very few know about.  He wants to heal you tonight, and set you free.  Are you willing?”

     Jimmie nodded his blond head in assent, and tears started streaming down his cheeks.  Sam hugged him as Jimmie’s shoulders began to shake.  “Will you receive Him as Lord and Savior, Jimmie?”  Sam asked quietly.

     Jimmie nodded, and Sam gently laid his hands on him, and prayed.  Jimmie began to tremble violently under the touch of the  Holy Spirit, and though he fell like a dead man, he continued to shake.  At last, the shaking stopped and Jimmie struggled to his feet.

    “I’m free!”  He yelled loudly.  He laughed aloud and jumped up and down.  “I’m healed!  I’m free!  I’m totally healed!”

     Sam went to him, and talked to him.  Then he handed the mic to Jimmie, and Jimmie faced the crowd.  “I had scoliosis and I had a problem with my hand that I’d had all my life.  My hand was a little bit deformed.  When I was on the floor, I felt my back being pulled, and it’s all straight now.  And now I look at my hand, and it’s perfectly normal.  Glory to God!  Glory to God!”  he shouted.

     The tent erupted into a tumult of sound.  Callie sat petrified, looking at the hand that Jimmie held up.  It certainly looked different than the hand she’d always witnessed with her own eyes.  It was now, indeed perfect.  He had been made whole by the power of God.

     She sat, numb with shock, and fear.  Now, it was her turn to fulfill her part of the bargain.  God had shown her a true miracle, given to someone she knew.  He’d fulfilled her specs to the letter!

    But then, Sam began to speak again.  “I feel as though there is one more person here tonight who wants to give their life to Jesus.  Someone just made up his or her mind, because of the miracle healing that Jimmie received.  I know it’s getting late, but that doesn’t matter to me.  I’ll stay here all night with you, if need be.”

     Sam was looking around the tent.  He was looking at the bleachers, scanning the crowd.  He surely wasn’t watching the center aisle.  Callie emerged from behind the bleachers.  She lifted her shoulders, and walked right up that center aisle.  She had to.  God had called her bluff.

     And, Sam had torn her heart open.  She was through with being stiff-necked and full of pride.  She loved Sam.  He was worth giving up her lifestyle for.  God had already stripped her of her band and her job.  She was going to do it.  She was ready to surrender to Jesus.

     When Callie was almost to the steps, her movement caught Sam’s eye.  He turned and looked.  Clyde had gone to stand with him, slightly behind, or Sam’s legs would surely not have supported him when he realized that Callie was there, and all that her being there in front of him, must mean.  But Clyde’s body was there to block Sam’s fall and imperceptibly brace and hold him up, as Callie climbed the stairs with her eyes begging Sam to receive her.

     What Callie did not know is that two giant angels flanked her, in bright glory, as she came to offer herself on the altar.  But Sam saw their presence, and Clyde, bless him, had foreseen Sam's need for physical support.  He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.  Then he opened his eyes and held a hand to Callie.  He had his feet under him again, solid as a rock.

    She looked up at him shyly, and took his hand.  He was smiling at her, uncertain of what to say.  She just smiled back and said,  “I guess it’s me.  I couldn’t even hide behind the bleachers.”

      “What’s you?” he asked quizzically.

     “I’m the one God’s looking for, tonight.  I threw out a fleece and He met the challenge.  So, I’m holding up my part of the bargain.  He’s convinced me that He is real, so I want to be on His team.”

     Sam looked at her with a very quizzical smile, and shook his head.  “That’s extremely good to hear.”  He said, trying not to laugh.  “You're certain you're ready?” he asked almost suspiciously.

      Yes.”  She assured him with a shaky composure.

    Sam took both her hands, and slowly led her through a prayer.  The words came hard for him because emotion kept threatening to sweep them both away, but they made it through.  When she’d repeated all the words with very convincing conviction, Sam put his hand on her head and prayed.  

     “Jesus, come in.  Holy Spirit, fill your temple.”

    The power of God hit Callie like a locomotive.  She was thrown back.  Gentle hands broke her fall and helped her to the floor.  She lay there with tears streaming down her face.  What was happening to her was absolutely incredible.

     Although she couldn’t open her eyes, she knew that Sam had fallen beside her, like a dead man.  She could feel his presence.  She could feel all that was going on inside his heart, and she was almost sure he could feel what was happening to her, as well.

     It was magic; incredible!  And when she’d cried out all the tears that she had to cry, she felt indescribable joy flood her being.  It was totally unexpected, and impossible to explain.

     Clyde and Sadie stood side by side over the two, smiling down at them with tears in their eyes.

     “What God has joined, let no man put asunder.”  Sadie said impishly.

     Clyde picked up the cordless mic, and began offering prayer to the crowd.  And so, for an hour or so, the floor of the tent filled up with the bodies of people prostrate under the power of God.

     Callie could not have begun to describe what she felt when she was lying on the floor of the tent.  She went somewhere she'd never been.  She felt the weight of glory on her chest and head; she felt the great love of God encompass her, totally.  She felt free, and filled with joy unspeakable.  She felt totally cared for, as if she were being held in a mighty hand, and washed in the river of Life.  It was simply indescribable.

     She could feel Sam's presence close by, and she knew that he could feel it, too.  She could hear him chuckle, and knew that he felt the same wave of love and glory that had just passed through her.  They were connected, though they were not touching; they were communicating, though they were not speaking.  They were there together.

     And the Lord Jesus was there.   Callie knew that He'd been waiting for her to come.  He knew every thought and desire of her heart.  And it had been He who had caused Jimmie to leave, He who had pulled Dalton and Sean away from her.  He’d been the one who had left her high and dry, so that she would turn to Him.  She understood this, and felt no bitterness.  Not now that she was here.

     She understood that she had been complacent and unwilling until now, to answer His very plain call.  She was changed.  She didn't know or feel that she was lying on the field grass of a pasture in Vermont; that awareness was far away.  She was in the arms of God.

      Some time later, Sam rolled over, and his arm curved around her shoulder.  Callie could feel the weight of his anointing fall on her.  It made her gasp.  Why hadn't she felt it before?  There was a great weight of glory and magnificent power, hanging on and all around Sam. And authority!  The authority that he walked in, awed Callie.   She just suddenly knew that it was there. 

     She began to truly glimpse who Sam was.  She was awed that this man wanted her, that he even cared about her soul.  She felt that she was nothing, compared to this awesome presence in Sam that she knew to be God.  She went deeper into the Spirit, as Sam touched her.  His wordless prayer for her was felt, and it sent her into new realms of healing and bliss.

     When she was finally able to open her eyes, she found Sam sitting over her, with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  His eyes were clear and bright, with an appreciative and somewhat predatory twinkle in their depths.

     Callie started to laugh again.  She simply couldn’t help it.

    “Laughing at me, are you?”  he teased, with an arched eyebrow.  “You are not supposed to laugh at me, young lady.  I was going to offer to take you to town for something to eat, but I do hesitate, now that you’re laughing at me.”

     “Oh!”  Callie gasped, reaching a pleading hand out toward Sam.  Somehow, she was starving!

     “Samuel, stop tormenting that poor girl, so that we can scrape her up and go get something to eat.”  Sadie complained.

      “I’m doing my best.  I even threatened to leave her here.”  Sam objected.  “I think she’s going to be here all night long.”

     “We could carry her out.”  Sean suggested.

     Sam shook his head uneasily.  “I don’t want to interfere with
one thing
that’s happening to her.  I want to see a complete work.  I’ve sweated and prayed and waited too long for this.”