IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
Ps. 34:6,7/Joel 2:32/Acts 2:21

He heard the shot clearly. It came from no more than eight feet behind him. At the moment of the shot, he felt a blow on one side of his head, and saw a flash of light out of his left eye. He knew something serious had happened when he felt the horrible burning sensation on the side of his head and the hot blood running down his face.

John Poke, a Melbourne, Australia police official, had received a bullet wound in the head. In that brief moment he took in the situation, and had enough presence of mind to cry out to God, "Please God, I'm not ready. Don't let me die like this. Let me see my children one more time." That's the last thing he remembers before falling unconscious.

The very next day, John Poke, was back on the streets serving his city. The bullet had not penetrated his cranium but had grazed his head between bone and skin. "It's like being born again," he said. Then he added, "I must take advantage of this new life."

There are many prayers that take a long time to be answered, and then there are others that are answered almost instantly. John Poke's prayer was one of those. He had been called to intervene in an assault, and had confronted the burglar. Another attacker had shot at him from behind.

What's our first reaction at the miracle of being saved from sure death? It's the feeling that God has given one another opportunity. Deep down inside there’s a sense of gratitude for every breath of life, every palpitation of the heart, every ounce of energy, and every minute of time.

The Melbourne policeman would never have uttered the words,"Please God, I'm not ready," if he had not faced impending death. Yet new life could have been his at any moment. God, as declared in the book of Deuteronomy, makes Himself easy to find. Here are His Words: "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

As Christians we may temporarily forget that Christ is available to us every minute of the day. He’s by our side the instant we call out to Him. We don’t have to wait for some tragedy to reach out to Him. He’s just waiting for us to communicate with Him each and every day. Let’s not take His presence for granted.

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Today almost half a million people will listen to A MESSAGE TO THE CONSCIENCE on Radio Guadalquivir in a town called Tarija, Bolivia. This secular station broadcasts the program 30 times every week. Pray for this outreach to hurting people.