BEAUTY FOR ASHES....



Isaiah 61:1-3

 His life wasted, his family gone, now homeless and blind, Jerry (name changed for his protection) told us he had no reason to live. But his life has recently been dramatically changed and now he realizes he is alive for a reason, he has purpose.

Jerry, a member of a drug cartel, was shot in the head and lost his eyesight in an altercation with the law. After 32 days in a coma when he had many dreams and visions of heaven, he was sent to prison in Texas and was sentenced to death by lethal injection. His sentence was later changed to three years, after which he was deported to Mexico where he currently lives with his uncle. We met Jerry at a Sunday evening service at the church in Nuevo Progreso; and one day we shared some very serious words with him.

Jerry is still a young handsome man, quiet and serious but friendly. He wears dark glasses to hide his blind eyes. He told us how he had been drawn to the recent evangelistic campaign held by the church. He had heard the music and heard the people worshiping and he asked his uncle if he would take him to the meeting. He had been feeling a tremendous heaviness and depression and was looking for something meaningful. Enjoying the service very much, he and his uncle continued attending regular services at the church.

Jerry's uncle is a Christian but Jerry had never been interested in the things of God. But this week when Lloyd asked Jerry if he would like to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior he said, "Yes, what do I need to do? I really want to change." Lloyd prayed with Jerry and after that, Pastor Gerardo opened up the scriptures and spent some time with him explaining further the plan of salvation.

Jerry escaped death when he was shot, and he escaped death again when his sentence was changed from death to only three years behind bars. No doubt his blindness made a difference in his sentence being changed. It is obvious that he has been given a new chance and that God has been merciful to him. We encouraged him to use this miraculous opportunity to tell others what God has done for him.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:1-3