“DEPART FROM ME!”

 Luke 13:22-27                      (ESV)

The Narrow Door

“[22] HE (JESUS) went on HIS way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. [23] And someone said to HIM, “LORD, will those who are saved be few?” And HE said to them, [24] “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. [25] When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘LORD, open to us,’ then HE will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ [26] Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in YOUR  presence, and YOU taught in our streets.’ [27] But HE will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. “DEPART FROM ME”, all you workers of evil!’

In a previous life (before the Brain Hemorrhage), my reputation was to “cut people down”, brutally quick most of the time with very little time to consider the consequences!  

The NEW MAN that resulted from that traumatic experience has slowed down considerably and has been given a new perspective on what should be coming out of my mouth!  JESUS says in the latter part of Luke 6:45 “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”!   I am humbled to report that HE might not have been pleased with the OLD MAN, so HE adjusted a few things and made me a bit more in HIS IMAGE!!

The almost brutal events of 2007 were in fact some of the most precious times in my life!  The Head Nurse in the ICU where I was treated said when I inquired about my temperature change, “Mr. Nelson, you might be Brain Damaged”, something that has stuck with me since!  Out of the over 50,000 miles of vessels in a body, GOD was able to have a blood vessel in the portion of my brain that controls the “word recall” for me to spring a leak that slowed me down rather intensely.  

One thing that I am SO grateful for is that HE CHOSE me to display HIS long suffering and patience through!  HE just as easily could have NOT CHOSEN me and I would have had to HEAR one day “DEPART FROM ME”, all you workers of evil!!!

Yes, I can’t get over how HE worked in my life (and is STILL working), when HE could have just said “DEPART FROM ME”, all you workers of evil!!!