GOD SAVE ME, A SINNER:

A close friend is dying rapidly in his battle with cancer. Yesterday I got a call from my wife that Berry was back in the hospital. As God would sovereignly design it, I was investigating a traffic crash and was sent to one particular hospital in the area. When I was finished with the investigation, I returned to my patrol car and found a message from my wife on my cell phone telling me Berry was in the very same hospital I just exited.

I turned back and began the long walk around the halls of the hospital to Berry's room. All the while, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would convict Berry of his need for a Savior, and that He would empower and use me in this private time with Berry.

Berry is a retired police officer (but only in his early 60's), and he and I grew close due our similar backgrounds. So he's been a pretty gruff guy most of his life. But when I arrived at his hospital room, he was in so much agony and was crying. He's broken, and I could see it. When he saw me, the first thing he asked was for me to pray for him.

Before praying for his physical needs, I told Berry that his spiritual need was much more grave than his cancer. I asked him that if he was to die if he'd be ready to face God in judgement. He explained that he had "done his best" throughout his life, but I helped him understand it's not how hard we try that matters. Instead, we are sin-sick and in need of God's forgiveness only through Jesus Christ because our sin separates us from Him.

I prayed for just a couple minutes...until he took over. He begged Jesus Christ to forgive him, to save him, and to take him home. In all my years of practicing prayer and hearing prayer growing up in the church, I can honestly say I've rarely heard such godly prayers as this one. For almost 5 minutes he begged God for mercy and forgiveness. It was truly beautiful. I didn't interrupt or close off the prayer. I simply let him pour his heart out to God in his own words.

I enjoyed basquing in God's goodness to him as I imagined his sin being permanently removed from him only by God's amazing grace.