Part Three in "A Call to Serve"
Tug sprang awake so quickly that he pulled a muscle in his back.
“Ouch!”
The dream had been so real that he could still taste the alcohol in his mouth and smell the smoke in the air. It actually took a few moments to get oriented and realize that no, he was in his bed at home. Although it had been four months that he had lived here, the dream of having someplace called home, the freedom to come and go yet still be safe inside a locked house at the end of the day and to be able to establish friendships with Kyle, Seth, and Barney had been more than he had ever had even at home growing up. Roommates instead of cellmates; friends instead of little brothers.
Thinking back to the dream, Tug realized that his past, or at least what he thought was his past, was anything but that. No, it lingered deep in his soul much like the scar on his left cheek, a grim reminder of mistakes made over the years. Oh, how he had longed to put this behind him. Do I really want a drink? The thought was haunting Tug for the first time in several years. Why do I smell the smoke from a crack pipe?
Across town, Mark Pappas was getting ready for another day of work that should have been like any other day. When his phone rang he looked half-heartedly at the caller ID. and saw Tug. “Hey, Tug, what’s up? I thought you would be getting ready for work. You usually don’t call this early in the morning. It’s not even 7:30.”
“I know, but I had to talk. I had the strangest dream last night and woke up scared. I could actually taste whiskey in my mouth and I swear there was the smell of crack in the air. In my dream, I had been back in KC where I used to live, and all the gang was there. We were carrying on just like I told you we used to,” Tug’s voice was shaking as he told Mark about his experience.
Mark had heard about former addicts having using dreams in the past so this wasn’t something totally foreign to him. “Well, Tug, as you know, I can’t speak from my own personal experience but after all the time I’ve spent working at the mission, this is far from the first time someone’s told me of a nightmare like this.” Mark even recalled his old college roommate who had quit smoking and still woke up with nicotine cravings from time to time.
It occurred to Mark that this was going to be the biggest challenge that Tug had faced in the short time that they had known each other but it would certainly not be the last. Realizing that true to his character, he was trying to come up with a solution on his own, Mark asked the Lord to forgive him for not first calling on Him for guidance and direction. He recalled an all-too-important verse of Scripture that he had read just last night. John 15:4-5 came to mind immediately as he meditated on Tug’s fate: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” (Emphasis placed by the author)
Realizing that he still had Tug on the phone, probably wondering why there had been a long silence, Mark spoke up, “Hey, buddy, I have a pretty light day today. How about if I swing by and pick you up about 5:00 and we catch an early dinner. Then we can go catch up on things. We can just hang out for a bit.”
“Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate that. I get off at 4:00 and by the time I get home and cleaned up, I can be ready by five. Just text me when you are on your way.” The arrangements were made and Tug hung up thinking that he had made a friend like none other he had ever had in his life. When he had surrendered his life to Christ recently, he had not only been saved from his sins and granted the gift of eternal salvation in glory, he had been saved from a life of fear that had haunted him every moment of every day. While he didn’t have a life of unending bliss and happiness, even his newfound family at church had assured him that being a Christian didn’t come with such a promise. In fact, if anything, it came with a warning of just the opposite at times. In fact, he remembered that trials were very much a part of Christian life and remembered hearing a message on the radio just last night where the key text came from the epistle of James, chapter 1, verses 2-3, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Joy? Why joy? Perhaps because it is when we have temptations and trials that we must truly call upon the Lord and humble ourselves. It is then more than ever that we are reminded of our place(s) and our reliance on Him.
Another verse he remembered hit even harder, because it was a quote that was right out of the mouth of Jesus, Himself, warning His closest inner-circle of what was to come. Ironically, instead of telling them of the eternal blessings that would come in eternity, He was letting them know about the difficulties they would face now! In John 15:20, Jesus spelled it out in no uncertain terms when He said, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” (Emphasis placed by the author). “They” were the people of the time but the “temptations” spoken of in the previous text came also from the devil, himself.
Tug went on to work, thinking that the events of the previous night would haunt him all day. He was given a reprieve, however, when the day was filled with enough work to keep his mind busy. The warehouse was busy with new orders and backorders from last week were finally coming in. This meant that there was more work to process and of course, no extra bodies to do it. As frustrating as this was because of the deadlines and expectations placed on the employees, for Tug, it was a welcome diversion that kept his mind and body busy until quitting time. When it did come, he was glad to punch the clock and head home.
Mark worked a short day because of a previously scheduled appointment with someone to repair his kitchen sink. He had been able to do some work from his office at home but had also enjoyed just being at home early. It allowed him to do some Bible study and reading that would normally have waited until evening.
“Tug, it’s good to see you,” Mark had just pulled up to his house when Tug stepped out the door. He often did this, almost as if he was embarrassed by the conditions inside. Mark was never sure if it was the humble furnishings, something about the other men who lived there, or fear that Tug thought that the house was untidy, but Mark had always noticed that they rarely went inside. He chose not to question it. Tug had obviously just showered following his day at the warehouse as his hair was still damp. However, he wore a freshly ironed shirt and khakis, much nicer than he would have worn on the job. “I thought we would go to that new Thai place right around the corner.” Having agreed to that, the car was in motion. In five minutes they were there and five more minutes had them seated.
After a nice meal and some conversation, much of which centered around Tug’s recent struggle with his dream and his fears that he would relapse into his former behaviors, Mark took his friend home. Recalling something from one of their first meetings, Mark was the one who would bring it up. “Remember, Tug, you are not alone in your fight with the demons of your past. You are a child of God and He, more than any father on Earth, will never leave you to take on an enemy that you cannot handle. You only need to ask. Sometimes He will give you the tools and weapons to fight. Sometimes He will give you soldiers to fight for you. Sometimes He will direct you elsewhere so as not to be tempted by the enemy. The key is to listen to His instruction. As you know, He gives you that instruction in the Bible.”
With that, the two friends said good night.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” John 14:1
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Thanks for sharing Pastor Jim and the reminder to walk with those who encourage you to take great strides on an undefined path towards improvements.
Have a lovely week