From Conversion to Confidence--a 50 Year Journey, Part 1

Almost 50 years ago--December 21, 1961--I was a 18-year-old criminal, locked in punitive segregation, in a North Carolina prison road camp.

I woke up that dreary Thursday with great expectations because the unit's superindent, "Captain Keel" had promised to let me out of "the hole," before Christmas Day. "The hole," that's how inmates referred to this cell of special punishment in this dreary prison camp. "The hole" was a small building with two single person cells.Each cell had a steel slab for sleeping, a thin foam rubber pad masquerading as a mattress and a thin brown "blanket." This place was always painfully hot in the summer, and crippling cold in the winter. I had been here since December 4, as a punishment for refusing a "lawful" order from the road crew foreman. But today, I was getting out, according to Keel's promise.

So when the guard came with the morning's ration of monotonous diet (aka "dog food"), I asked when they would be letting me out. I remember the guard's chilling word: "Captain Keel left for Christmas last night; he will not be back until after New Year's. He left no orders about letting you out."

Hope died! Expectations exploded into a blinding rage. I flung the metal plate of "dog food" at the guard, who simply stepped back and left the building. Still enraged, I punched the brick wall until both fists were swollen, battered and bloodied. I tried to sleep and couldn't. Then suddenly, somewhere in my consciousness, I heard: "Why don't you pray?" "Pray, I said out loud," what good will that do?"
I didn't believe in God, and had no use for prayer. But without realizing why, I slipped off the bunk and said sarcastically. "Look, I don't know if you exist or not! I really don't believe you do, but if you do, this is a good time to prove it to me. I want out of here today!"

I said much,much more that's not relevant here, but minutes later I drifted into a fitful sleep.

The outside door opening startled me into wakefulness, and the guard said: "Get your stuff Jordan. Captain Keel called a little while ago, and said he intended to let you out today, but forgot to complete the papers."

Welcome to my initial conversion experience.

Today--August 26, 2011--almost 50 years later, God brings me to an amazing new level of conversion. Do I trust his favor and faith enough to stake myself out on declaration He moves me to make?

Hurricane Irene, the massive tropical storm in the Atlantic, predicted to reek havoc along the eastern seaboard, from Florida to New York and maybe beyond, will not devastate the east coast. Suddenly, with no warning or explanation, the storm will veer into the Atlantic and dissipate into a tropical depression during the weekend. I speak the name of the Great Elohim who I serve!

Welcome to what 50 years of an inimate, constantly challenging relationship with God has done to me!
Welcome to the power of conversion! Conversion constitutes more than what has been traditionally referred to as a "religious" experience. Conversion launches a relationship with God that challenges the converted to move exclusively according to His will and not human knowledge and logic, to live confidently in God's commitment to His word and His servants!

From this day forward, God will transform my life in ways that even I cannot imagine. It all hinges on God's promise and declaration in Deut. 18:18-22. Verse 22 declares: "When a prophet speaks in the name of the
Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously . . ."

Thus, dear God, your will be done!
More next time!