Joel M Bradshaw

16And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.–Mark 15, part 1

Some of my biggest regrets in life came in seasons when I didn’t take God or the Bible as seriously as I should have. I look back at times of hypocrisy and addiction every time I read a text like today’s. Look at the attitudes they must have had that day! I was a Christian young man who had stopped denying himself and instead pursued myself. That is the basis of all Christian hypocrisy. My life mocked God’s grace.

I sometimes look back at my story and in momentary weakness wonder what plan God could have had for me. You can just imagine my depression and his evil best friend shame having a field day with all of this! ‘How could my messy, broken story be used for God’s glory’ I sometimes ask myself. But then, God brings people into my life that my story speaks to.

I won’t give his name. I’ll just call him B. B recently was sent my way to journey with. B describes himself as an atheist with a severe pornography addiction. He had hit rock bottom and was reaching out for help–any help. And so I offer him the only hope I have found. I greatly respect B for journeying with me. It must be difficult to open yourself up to a pastor of a God you don’t even worship or believe exists!

So my approach was bold. I simply told B that nothing else has worked. The young man who used to mock God is now with no other hope. The path of self has not led to any help or change in his life. So I challenged B to work a Biblical program with me for 10 weeks. The bold prayer was that if he has seen change in his life after those weeks (when nothing else has worked before in his life), that he would stop mocking God as an atheist and actually begin to pursue God.

B of course was skeptical, but agreed to try anything. We are a few weeks into his journey. Will you join me in praying for him? I am praying that God shows himself to be real and powerful and that B’s daily habits and choices begin to change. In our own hypocritical seasons, we are every bit the mockers of Jesus as those soldiers 2000 years ago. I am so thankful that God uses my story for His glory. I sit here and cry grateful tears this morning.–JMB