Christianity Oasis Forum

[vahn]

"What we really have is , a daily reprieve , contingent upon the mantainance of our Spiritual condition" AA pg 85 .

When I first came upon that sentence , my reaction to it was just about the same as everyone else's -- HUH ? -- I thought the book was written in English , and I know I am fluent in it ! . WEBSTERRRRRRRR !!! Where are youuu ??

Reprieve : to delay the punishment of ...

Contingent : dependent on , or , conditioned by , something else < if you want to keep your English fluent , you need to keep reffering to Webster ! > .

Or , if that doesn't work , ask your sponsor !

So , he asks me to try and remember the last words out of my mouth right before my , what I am hoping to be my last drink and last blackout , that consequently landed me in the mental ward under suicide watch . I said , "If there is a God ... " , he said "stop right there ! ... "if" there is a what ? " ... and he scribbled something on his pad and said , Go on " ... "If ther is a God ... show Yourself ... " ok , stop again ... and he scribbled some more , and asked "show Himself ... to do what ?" .... "To either take my life , or to get me out of this Hell I'm in " ... after another pen to paper activity , he turned the page toward me and said "Read !" .

"God ... show Yourself ... take my life ... and get me outa here !!! "

It was THAT statement that He responded to and withdrew the consequent puninsments of your alcoholism and drug addiction , He granted me a reprieve ... GRACE .

The razor-sharp alcoholic mind of mine says .... "I'm all set then ! " .... HAH !! ... and my sponsor laughs .... "That was for THAT day ONLY " ... and he opens the book and says read the passage before , < It is easy for us to let up on the Spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels . we're heading for trouble if we do >

Explanation .... Though the physical drinking had stopped (abstinance) ... my disease , alcoholism/addiction , didn't , and doesn't , it keeps going (hence the term "it gets worse , never better") .

So , I needed to establish a DAILY "show Yourself" practice untill it came to the point where I am saying "Let me show MYSELF to YOU " .... Suit up and show up .... He'll take care of the rest ... only if I was in Him I choose to rest .


In Christ , our Lord
vahn

[realtmg]

AMEN Vahn.
Thanks.

GBU

Real