Last night at the drug rehab center, I talked to a guy who wants to one day become a missionary or do something to help people. He had been reading parts of the book I gave to another guy that left earlier in the week, so I gave him his own. I struck up a conversation with one guy who had been around drugs all his life because of his family. It was cool how he opened up a little and shared his story with me. When he heard I am studying to be a missionary, he assured me he believed in God. He had some understanding of the God of the Bible, but when he quoted John 3:16, I was a little worried with his response. In his mind, it seemed that eternal life was contingent on a person obeying God every day for the rest of his life. His idea of what salvation is was very fuzzy and misguided. He seemed interested in knowing more, so I gave him the other "By This Name" book that was in my car. Later on, I was saddened by a guy who was demonstrating his rebellion against the program by making lots of snide comments. "I'm not an alcoholic...I just like to drink." He may have been somewhat joking, but he doesn't seem serious about staying sober and will probably not make it. In time, he will probably get arrested for driving under the influence and may even end up back at treatment.
It is a sobering thought to know how serious these addictions are and how quickly they can lead to death. Still, God is working at that place, even if some of them choose to reject Him. Thanks for praying!