I’ll call him Bob Rice, though that’s not his real name. From the first moment we met, it was clear that Bob wasn’t in good physical shape. He was beyond middle age, but his problems weren’t age related. One day, he told me his story. When he was young man he had been a hard drinker and he wasn’t interested in religion of any kind, certainly not Christianity. In fact, his favorite swear words were JESUS CHRIST!!! He used them often.
One night after a lot of drinking, he got in his truck and headed home. Going too fast, he ran off the road and crashed. The truck was totaled and he almost totaled his body. As messed up as he was, he should have died. Instead, Bob went into a coma that lasted six months. During that time, he wasn’t aware of anything. But at the end of six months, something happened.
Bob “awoke” to find himself standing on a flat desert. There was nothing in any direction as far as he could see. As strange as it was, everything was completely real, not like a dream at all. Suddenly, in the distance he saw a figure walking toward him. It got closer. It was a man. Finally, Bob saw who it was. And it was the last person he ever expected to meet. Walking toward him was Jesus. Bob was absolutely shocked. And when he was shocked he had a very limited vocabulary. Staring wide-eyed, he yelled, “JESUS CHRIST!!!”
To which, Jesus stared right back and yelled, “BOB RICE!!!” Well, they had a long, serious talk. Soon afterward, Bob awoke from his coma and his life was never the same. There was physical damage that would stay with him. But far more important, he gave his life to Jesus. After all, he had met Him personally and felt His love.
I have a lot of friends who use JESUS CHRIST!!! the way Bob did. I don’t think it bothers Jesus at all. I mean if someone constantly yelled COLEMAN LUCK!!!, I’d be laughing. But there’s something you should consider. When you yell, JESUS CHRIST!!!, He hears. Just like Bob Rice, He knows your name and He loves you. Yelling Jesus Christ may be more like a prayer than you realize.
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