[Wednesday's Devotional] - Scraping the Barrel

Not long after becoming a Christian I watched a film called "Saved by the Light", I later read the book. It is the story of Dannion Brinkley from South Carolina who had a near death experience. Struck by lightning on 17^th September 1975 while on a telephone as a thunderstorm approached, Brinkley was clinically dead for 28 minutes and taken to a hospital morgue. Brinkley described many characteristic details of the near-death experience as well as certain unique ones. His account includes an out of body experience upon exit with extensive external observations, a tunnel passage, a meeting with a Being of Light (identified by some as Jesus), a high-speed detailed life review, including his experiences as a sniper in Vietnam, discussion of a life mission and a strong reluctance to return.

Whether his claims are factual or fraudulent, his life was transformed and he shares his story worldwide. One quote from this film has always stayed with me.

Once, after speaking to a church group about his life, a woman approached him with a look of puzzlement on her face. She had heard many people speak about God, she said, but never one quite like him.

"I'll bet you drink," she said.
"Yes ma'am," I do.
"And you obviously like women, don't you?"
"Yes ma'am, I do."
"Then I will say this, Mr Brinkley," she said giving him the evil eye. "When God was looking for prophets, he must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel to have found you."

"Yes ma'am" replied Brinkley, "he sure did."

I have always loved that response. As Dannion Brinkley said, sometimes God gets us by scraping the bottom of the barrel. He seems to want the meek and lowly, the people of simple faith with a childlike interest in life and salvation. Thankfully, however, many of us encounter God before we reach the very bottom.

I watched this film again before writing this devotional (it's available on YouTube) and another message penetrated my heart: "Who you are is the difference love makes". I am constantly encouraged that throughout the bible weak and ordinary people become vessels for a strong and extraordinary God. It is His love that makes the difference in our lives and, when we share it, the lives of others. Who will you be in 2013?

Dawn Milward