Our job today was to go to a home and tear down a garage. The garage was severely damaged beyond repair from Katrina. The home is managed by a man named Harry who is on the staff at Bethel Colony. The home is being used for men in the second phase of their healing process from addictions. The first phase is 6 months inside Bethel Colony where they live, work, eat and sleep. Every morning in Bethel Colony the day starts with worship and every night ends the same way. It is only through the power of God and the fellowship of other believers that these men break their addiction. The second phase helps them transition back into society.
When the garage is torn down Bethel Colony will build another garage with apartments above the new garage. These men from phase 1 know God but they need help with the transition. They can live outside the Colony while they search for jobs and find a home church to keep their faith strong. This new garage will allow two additional men to live on the property. It currently is home to two men plus Harry. I wondered as we tore down the garage to make way for a new garage who would be staying here. I thought of how these men will serve God and impact their neighborhoods in the name of Christ. I hope they all honor Jesus that way.
Later that night as we gathered and sang praises to our God at a Church near to where we were staying a message came to me about the work we did that day. Our lives can look just like the job we were working on. Without God in our lives we tear down our lives with the sins of this world. Soon it looks broken beyond repair. But when Christ enters our hearts He tears down the old self and rebuilds us and makes all things new. Just like this old garage that gets torn down and a new one built in its place, Jesus makes us useful again for His glory and for kingdom work.
I wanted to share with you about Harry the man who managed this home. Part of what we like to do is to listen to the people of New Orleans. Harry shared his testimony and his home with us. His life has been restored through the power of God and Bethel Colony. He told us he went through this program twice with Bethel Colony. One time after finishing phase 1 when he thought he had made it, he slipped back into his old life style. He told us God broke his heart and right in the middle of his sin and he fell to his knees begging God to forgive him. He has stayed on the straight path ever since that day. He shared how Christ had changed his life. His life was no longer about how much money he can make or about his personal possessions. His life is about sharing the love of Christ to the people he meets and helping other men beat their addictions through the power of Christ in their lives.
On this day that we were scheduled to work he cancelled his doctor's appointment for a knee brace he needed from a car accident that totaled his truck. He cancelled his appointment to help us. He shared his house with us and insisted that the kids eat their lunch in his living room. How many people do that? His love for people and hearing him talk about God's forgiveness in his life is evident in how he cares for people. He is reflecting God's light in a dark world. His life led me to do a self evaluation. We all need to reflect God's light for the world to see and I encourage all of us to let your light shine today.
God Bless you and thank you for helping us do the work for the glory of God.
Tom Bendler
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