City Life Starter

I. THE WORD:

“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.” Titus 3:10

In my last devotional, I wrote a little bit about my later college years at the University of Houston, where in the Fall of 2000 I met my wife, surrendered my life to Jesus Christ, and joined the church. As I mentioned previously, the next two or three years were probably the most transformative of my life.

Today I’m going to share the part of my testimony that gives the ‘after’ picture some better context: my college experience before encountering God, leading up to my salvation.

In 1997 I accepted an invitation to the University of South Carolina to play on the men’s golf team, a top-15 ranked team in the nation. I had worked tirelessly in high school to achieve this position. My parents had invested a lot of time and money into my amateur golf career, and it looked like it was paying off. There was one big problem, however.

A few months before I graduated from high school I decided I was going to be an atheist in college. I literally wrote a credo that went something like this: “There is no God. I am in control of my destiny, and I can do whatever I want to be happy, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else.”

No God. No parents. No authority or boundaries. I could be whoever I wanted to be. Do whatever I wanted to do. It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

It’s funny, but one of the few things I do vividly remember about my freshman year is being approached by a fellow student inviting me to a campus ministry meeting. I just laughed and shrugged him off.

Nine months later I wasn’t laughing anymore. I was sitting across from the head golf coach who was kicking me off the golf team for failing grades, terrible golf performance, and reckless social behavior. I had to get out of there.

I needed a new start, and some old friends, so I transferred to Southern Methodist University for my sophomore year of college. With golf out of the picture, I had nothing holding me back from pursuing my own selfish desires and addictions.

Let’s skip past all the bad stuff, and this time I’m sitting across from my dad, not my coach, explaining how I have failed out of school for the second year in a row. I was out of excuses, so I just told him the truth. Being the master of my own fate had destroyed me. I was an alcoholic, a drug addict, depressed, and I needed help.

My dad encouraged me to transfer back home for my junior year of college to be around family and to get help with my addictions. My attempt to be my own god had failed miserably. I was ready to start listening to wise instruction.

As soon as I had sobered up completely, I said my first words to God in years: “God, if you’re really out there, I’m coming for you. I want to know you. Whoever you are, reveal yourself to me, and I will follow you.”

Over the next year, I studied all the major world religions, being careful to avoid Christianity at all costs. I meditated for hours in silence, read Hindu scriptures, and even went to Lakewood Church when it was still in its original Oasis Of Love location!

But it wasn’t until I was sitting across from the Bible that I finally encountered God, my heavenly Father. Reading Titus 3:10 one evening I heard God speak to me: “You said you wanted to know me, well here I am, and you’ve been warned enough times. Are you going to continue to be divisive and push me away, or are you going to follow me like you said you would?”

My heart of stone melted in a single beat! It was time to give an account, but not for my failing grades – for my failed life of sin and rebellion. All I could do was just tell Him the truth. I was depressed, alone, empty, and I needed help. I needed forgiveness. I needed a new start. I confessed my saving faith in Jesus not long after.

III. PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for my story. It is clear you have been intimately involved in my life since I was born. Thank you for protecting me and keeping me from utter destruction when I was a faithless rebel and enemy of righteousness. I still can’t believe you love me, died for me, and gave me new life. Now, having a close relationship with you is the most important thing to me. Nothing else in this world is worth pursuing fulfillment. Jesus, you eternally fulfill me. May my testimony help someone overcome the enemy today. Cover us with your cleansing blood and help us to not love this life more than we love true Life…Jesus Christ! Amen.