Autopilot

Something triggered me to action. He had just appeared during the altar call. I asked him if he wanted to go up to the front. He said yes…, I took his hand and up from the back to the altar we went. Left him there. After church was finished, he still had this very disheveled and confused look. I went to talk to him. He wanted to speak to the Pastor. So I took him around the back, waited a bit. They were preparing for a baptism. The pastor saw us, I took him over and I walked away. I went to sit down to watch the rest of the proceedings. The next thing I knew, I saw the young man march out in his baptismal gown with another candidate. I was utterly amazed. They did the vows, then before you know it, he was headed under water. When my new friend’s time came, it was shared, as he did with me, that he was going to commit suicide that very Sabbath morning. He felt lost, alone, dejected by society and ready to end it all. He was a deportee (shipped out of the US for being out of status). His sister got raped in the U.S. and he defended her honour. So, he got sent back to Jamrock. I could see how the enemy could have easily switched his life to autopilot.

His attempt to end his life was thwarted because where he went to do it, they ran him from the yard. And so he ended up at church that morning. He went under the water and came up. I was in a slight state of disbelief but incredible gratitude and praise. In that moment, I saw in him the way I can imagine God sees his lost human race, and also myself, utterly in need of a Saviour. Hurtling to the ground on autopilot. Every warning, and bell going off but not being able to hear them because mr. devil has us in a trance. Lockstep with death to a fiery end. Maybe its not you right now, it could be a friend or someone who is a stranger but its obvious they’re on a collision course with the end. Make a move, help to save that soul. Because for as such a time as this, you can make an eternal difference in even one person’s life.

Just do it.

— YorkAli Walters