Preaching Practice by Susan L.

The phone rang shortly after three a.m. waking me out of a sound sleep. Fuzzy, panicky thoug of my elderly parents buzzed through my mind as I grabbed the reciever. "Hello?" It waa a man's voice my sleep addled head didn't recognize. "You know who this is? It's your best friend!" I asked him what number he was calling. He repeated himself. Eventually he quoted my home number as the number he was calling although he refused to identify himself. I could hear laughter in the background so I hung up. This man was not a kid playing a prank. His actions were purposeful and his voice was too mature. As I lay in bed, it dawned on me who it was. It took a while to fall asleep, part of me waiting for him to call back. Thankfully, he didn't. Am I angry? You bet! Am I worried? Yes, that too. I pray this won't happen again, that it was some wise idea of drunken entertainment. Meanwhile, I can choose to forgive him and give his actions to the Lord. He knows far better what needs to be done . Salvation is for everyone. "Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool." Prov 17:10