I Wasn't Supposed To Live...

I believe that God called me to preach in the summer of my freshman year in high school. He gave me a dream about one of my best friends who was somewhere in eternity screaming in pain: He was crying out to me, "You never told me. You never told me! Larry, you talked to me about baseball. You talked to me about football. You talked to me about basketball and tennis! But you never told me about Jesus!" He was telling the truth.

I suddenly woke up and realized that for the first time in my life, I was clearly hearing a word from the Lord. I didn't know God was still doing things like that any more! I was just a good ole Baptist boy!

I called up my friend, even though it was midnight and asked him to join me at Denny's. There I led him to faith in Jesus Christ. It was my first time to do that. I had no idea how to lead someone to Christ, so I just followed the outline of the Roman Road in the back of my Gideon New Testament. I was scared to death, but I had more excitement about that than anything I had ever done!

Recently, that long-time friend died of cancer after living his life for Christ as a dynamic lawyer in Dallas County in Texas. He was an elder in his church and he had written some great Christian books and was a tremendous teacher of the Word. He had helped hundreds through his wise, legal counsel. I had no doubt where he was. Cliff Couch was with Jesus and I will see him again on the other side because of that moment in time!

After this incredible experience as a 15-year-old, I knew that I wanted nothing more in my life than to serve God and let Him do whatever He wanted to do because my life was now His. My dream was to be a sports announcer on national television doing baseball and football games. But that dream instantly died the moment I surrendered all to Jesus. I knew He was calling me to preach. To do anything else would be a step down.

The next Sunday I walked to the altar at my home church in Dallas and told my pastor that God had called me to preach the Word. The pastor prayed over me and presented me to the church. Hundreds of people came by and shook my hand and told me encouraging words about my call. I was exhausted. I didn't know that I would be shaking hands with church folks at the end of church services for the rest of my life! How exhausting.

Last of all, my father came through the line to tell me something surprising.

My father stared at me and said, "Larry, several years ago there was a baby that was born that was not supposed to live. That baby could not keep food down and was literally dehydrated and starving. People everywhere were praying. The doctor gave little hope."

"Dad, is this story going somewhere?" I interrupted. "Because it is after 12 o'clock and the Dallas Cowboys' game is already on and we are missing it!"

Dad didn't laugh. He continued his story.

"So, Larry, the father got down on his knees out in front of the old hospital and gave His son to the Lord," Dad said with a tear in his eyes. "Lord, do anything you want to do in his life, but just let him live. I take my hands off of his life."

Suddenly it struck me like lightning and then Dad confirmed the truth to me. "Son, that little baby was you and that praying father was me." Time stood still for just a moment. "I never told you about this because I wanted God to show you His will. So, Son, don't ever say that God doesn't answer prayer. Don't ever say there are no more miracles today.....because that is who you are."

I have preached thousands of sermons from that day and every time I have preached I remember that I was supposed to be in Heaven years ago......but the Lord answered my father's prayers and proved that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our God is Jehovah Rapha and He is still in the healing business today. And all God's people say, "Amen".

- Larry Petton