A Place at the Table
I begin this edition of A Place At The Table, with a story told by Fred Sauerbrey.
“Have You Signed Page 35?”
My buddy, Francis, was walking with me as I was delivering my afternoon newspapers in Baltimore. We were having a typical teenage conversation when, out of the blue, Francis said to me, "Fred, you know you are going to go to hell because you are not Catholic." I was both stunned and insulted. In typical teenage fashion, I retorted that he could go to hell. The incident fortunately had no ill effect on our friendship, which has turned out to be life-long.
After becoming a Christ follower, I began sharing my faith with Francis, who continued to be a faithful Catholic. About five years ago, Francis began collapsing. Without warning, he would suddenly fall to the ground. It would happen about every two or three weeks. After much testing and evaluation, the best medical minds in Baltimore could not come up with a diagnosis or cure. As the problem continued, I told Francis he needed a healing from God, and that I would begin praying daily to that end. The problem ceased abruptly, and Francis was ecstatic. I then sent him a copy of "Live to the Limit", the exciting personal testimony of Russell O'Quinn, a famous test pilot who received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. At the end of the compelling story, on page 35, was a salvation prayer that the reader could pray to personally receive Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. There was a place for the reader to sign and date the prayer. The author implored the reader to make a decision for Christ, pray the salvation prayer, then sign and date it in the space provided.
In my next telephone conversation with Francis, I asked him if he had read the story. He replied that he had. Then I asked him if he had prayed the prayer on page 35 and signed it. He replied that he had not. In every subsequent telephone conversation, I would always ask him if he had signed page 35 yet. Over a period of about six months, he would always reply that he had not. Over that same period, he had never suffered another collapse.
Then one night my phone rang. Without identification, the voice on the other end said, "I signed page 35". I recognized the voice as that of Francis. The rest of the conversation was an extended time of rejoicing and praising God.
It is a wonder to see Francis healed from a grave and baffling illness. It is even more wonderful to have Francis as a brother in Christ, and to know that our friendship will continue into eternity with God.
“Have You Signed Page 35?”
My buddy, Francis, was walking with me as I was delivering my afternoon newspapers in Baltimore. We were having a typical teenage conversation when, out of the blue, Francis said to me, "Fred, you know you are going to go to hell because you are not Catholic." I was both stunned and insulted. In typical teenage fashion, I retorted that he could go to hell. The incident fortunately had no ill effect on our friendship, which has turned out to be life-long.
After becoming a Christ follower, I began sharing my faith with Francis, who continued to be a faithful Catholic. About five years ago, Francis began collapsing. Without warning, he would suddenly fall to the ground. It would happen about every two or three weeks. After much testing and evaluation, the best medical minds in Baltimore could not come up with a diagnosis or cure. As the problem continued, I told Francis he needed a healing from God, and that I would begin praying daily to that end. The problem ceased abruptly, and Francis was ecstatic. I then sent him a copy of "Live to the Limit", the exciting personal testimony of Russell O'Quinn, a famous test pilot who received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. At the end of the compelling story, on page 35, was a salvation prayer that the reader could pray to personally receive Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. There was a place for the reader to sign and date the prayer. The author implored the reader to make a decision for Christ, pray the salvation prayer, then sign and date it in the space provided.
In my next telephone conversation with Francis, I asked him if he had read the story. He replied that he had. Then I asked him if he had prayed the prayer on page 35 and signed it. He replied that he had not. In every subsequent telephone conversation, I would always ask him if he had signed page 35 yet. Over a period of about six months, he would always reply that he had not. Over that same period, he had never suffered another collapse.
Then one night my phone rang. Without identification, the voice on the other end said, "I signed page 35". I recognized the voice as that of Francis. The rest of the conversation was an extended time of rejoicing and praising God.
It is a wonder to see Francis healed from a grave and baffling illness. It is even more wonderful to have Francis as a brother in Christ, and to know that our friendship will continue into eternity with God.
posted by Pat | 9:49 AM
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