God Acts, Even When at the End of the Rope

I have known and worked with thousands of alcoholic men and women over the years. Bob is one of the very few people I know who claims divine deliverance from his alcoholism. The evidence of his life indicates that it is true. Bob is a wonderful, living testimony to God’s great restorative power! Bob’s healing came while at the end of his rope. His life was swinging in the balance when God provided a miracle for Bob.

Bob was a normal family guy. He had a normal life with normal family concerns and obligations. Bob also had a gift… a great mind for basketball. His head was filled with basketball facts, figures, knowledge, and trivia. This unique gift landed him a wonderful job as the “official voice” of a professional team. He became the game announcer and provided color commentary for this pro team.

Bob was never at a loss for words when basketball was the topic. Bob’s dream job took him away from his family frequently for long periods of time. He became lonely and took up drink as a social lubricant to pass the lonely hours. His drinking became addictive as it does for about 12% of American drinkers. Before long, Bob found himself unemployed, divorced, drinking more than ever, and eventually living on skid row. He came to New Orleans where he could drink 24/7. Bob was a violent drunk which explains the divorce. He was known on the streets and in the bars he destroyed as “The Drunk Yard Dog.”

As happens with most alcoholics, there came a time in Bob’s life when he got sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired. His attempts to quit were futile. His life was reduced to working for the sole support of his addiction. He lived on the streets and spent money only on booze. His life spiraled down into great despair. Desperation took over. Bob saw no way out. He decided to end his life. He devised a plan in which he would work all week, save all his money, and rent a hotel room to ‘celebrate’ for the weekend. Bob planned to live it up, binge, and then to hang himself in the closet of his hotel room.

Bob sat on the end of the bed as that weekend came to a conclusion. He had prepared everything he needed for this final act. He was drunk and ready to complete his mission. In those final moments, in the solitude of that room, he paused to review his life. He remembered family– his wife, his children, his shame. He laughed about the great job– his fame, his fortune, his plummet. He thought one last time about his years as the junk yard dog. Bob had always been driven to be the best he could be at whatever he did. He laughed again recalling that he had been “the best drunk ever.”

Bob fingered his rope of death. As he did, God came to his mind. Suddenly, out of nowhere he remembered those early childhood years… great poverty… many brothers and sisters… his loving single mom… her intense struggle to provide for those hungry mouths. He remembered her great love for him. His heart and mind was overwhelmed with her memory. He then remembered “Sunbeams” where he first learned the song that would now not go away. The words haunted Bob at that moment- “Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so.”

When Anna B. Warner penned those words in 1860, she could have never conceived that more than 100 years later, the difference between life and death for a guy named Bob would come down to “Jesus Loves Me.” Bob’s prayer that day became, “God (if you really exist), if you can change my life you can have my life.” Bob’s became sober immediately. He dropped the rope, checked out of the hotel, and became a street preacher to other people just like himself. He is no longer in New Orleans but there are Bob’s all across America. I still love getting the occasional phone call from Bob.