I went to my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. I dreaded it up until the moment I was given the opportunity to introduce myself. “Hi, my name is…and I’m an alcoholic.”
The folks in the room responded with the most genuine and compassionate greeting I have ever been open enough to receive. I can remember breaking into tears as I sat in awe. That was the moment I felt God’s unconditional love for the first time – the forgiveness revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was for me.
I had received communion hundreds of times, even parroted the pastor while the shared Jesus’ words, “This is my body given for you.” I had gone through years of seminary education. Yet I never had a feeling quite like this. It felt, for the first time, like I was being me in my entirety without the fear that anyone would find out who I really was or how I used and abused alcohol. These people already knew, and they accepted me anyway – just as God has done.
This message is excerpted from “Reformed” by Anonymous in the January/February 2017 Gather magazine.
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