The Narrow Escape. (Conclusion)

Gathered at a table in the fellowship/tea room, Karen, her parents, and

the Canfield children were having a conversation when Jenny walked in

with Mac Davenport coming in right behind her. Richard immediately

stood up and away from the table to meet him and to shake his hand.

 Karen put her hands to her face in shock at the realization that she

had missed Mac Davenport as she chose to enter the back way

whereas Mac tended the front entrance.

"OOPS!" Karen gasped, "I'm so sorry, Mac! I came in the back way

so my dad would not have to walk far nor have take the steps. I'm

sorry I missed you."

 Mac held up a hand and replied, "Please, don't give it another thought.

You're here, that's what's important, and with your father, too."

 "Wilfred and I made sure Mac knew,"  Jenny said, smiling at them

before she turned and went out in to the hallway and to the table.

 "Thanks, Jenny,"  Mac said to her as she headed out, then turned to

Richard and the rest of the folks at the table, "Richard, the church and

I have been praying for this day. It's a blessing you came today."

 "Why, thank you, Mac,"  Richard answered gratefully, "I appreciate

  that!" 

   "So do we, Mac,"  Neva added, with Karen adding also, "Definitely!"

   "Mac?"  Richard requested,  "You got a few minutes?"

   "Why, sure,"  Mac answered,  "What's on your mind?"

  "Well, I know I 've made a confession of faith while in the hospital, but

   I wish to make one here at the church, I need to know that I am saved 

  and like some counseling on this."

  "I believe we can do that,"  Mac said gladly, "We'd be more than happy to!"

  "Thanks, Mac!  I like it here already!"

  Karen and her mother looked at each other with their mouths open in 

expressions of anticipation and joy.

It came to pass that after all the folks arrived and after the Sunday school

classes concluded that the main worship service was getting underway.

 Mac resumed his role as bell ringer and went near the main entrance to

ring the church bell to signal that church was in session. 

 In the fourth pew on the left of the sanctuary, Karen and her mother sat

with Richard between them.  Richard turned to look at both Neva then

Karen and asked,  "Is that the same bell I heard ringing all these years?"

 "It sure is, honey."  Neva grinned warmly, then took her husband's hand

in hers with Karen doing the same with his other hand. 
Karen then said, "It was that bell that first got Mom and I interested in this
church."

 "I take it Mac's been ringing it the whole time?" Richard wondered.

  "I think so,"  said Karen,  "It's been a tradition here from what I was told

though Mac isn't the only one who does it.  Wilfred does it as well."

 "I see,"  said Richard,  "but I must say I like it."

 "That makes two of us."

 "Make it three," Neva added joyfully.

 Mac got finished ringing the church bell and headed to the

sanctuary to join the rest of the congregation.  He found

a seat in the rear of the sanctuary and sat as close to the

entrance of the sanctuary as he could so as to greet any

latecomers or visitors.

   

Richard started looking about the sanctuary and then asked,  "Did

anyone see Mac come in?"  Karen leaned out toward the end of the

pew where she sat then looked toward the back and caught a glimpse

of him in the back row.

 "He's in back," answered Karen, " near the entrance way of the sanctuary."

 "I wanted him to join us," Richard said, "I should've asked him before the

service started."

 "Stay there, Dad,"  said Karen,  "I'll go ask him."

  "Are you sure, Karen?"  But Karen was up and heading back without a reply.

    Neva gently squeezed his hand,  "Save your energy, sweetheart."

   

 In the back row Mac was preparing his offering envelope to give to the ushers

for the offering when he saw Karen walking up the aisle and in his direction.

 Putting his envelope in his breast pocket, he looked up at Karen as she came

over to him. 
 "Yes, Karen,"  Mac whispered softly so as to not disturb the congregation, 
"What can I do for you?"

 "My dad asked that you join us," Karen whispered back as she stooped and

 bent toward him slightly so he could hear her, her hands resting against her
thighs as she spoke to him.

"I'd be delighted,"  Mac whispered in reply. 
Karen nodded with a smile and said , "Thank you, Mac."
 Mac and Karen made their way to where Karen's parents sat.

 Richard looked up and to his right when he saw Karen come back with
Mac Davenport. As Karen and Mac made their way in Richard shook
Mac's hand once again as they sat down and said,  "Thanks for joining
us, Mac."  Mac replied with, "My pleasure, Richard."
 As the offering was being announced and as everybody got their
envelopes and/or checks ready to hand out, Richard leaned toward Mac
and whispered, "The reason I asked that you sit with us is because you
are the one I'm most familiar with and I'd like it if you went with me to
the altar."
 "I'll be more than happy to," Mac answered gladly,  "and so will a few
others!"
 "This is great!"  Richard gave Mac a pat on the shoulder as the ushers
came to their pew and everyone occupying the pew put in their offerings.




As the sermon was drawing to a close the pastor announced the altar calls
and prayer requests and it was with that announcement that Mac nudged
Richard and gestured toward the front where the altar was.
As they were getting up, Pastor Hal Shumway announced, "We have a
guest today who wants to make a confession of faith before all present
and to be reassured  his salvation is secure."  He then called out, "Richard
Williams, come forth!"
 Richard Williams went forth with Mac right with him and Gary Canfield,
Wilfred Templar, the pastor and a few other men joined them. Karen and
her mother also went up with Richard to witness this great event.
Pastor Shumway went from his pulpit down to where Richard got down on
on his knees with Mac right there beside him on his right with Karen and
her mother on his left. Everyone else that went up gathered around.


Richard, with hands folded on the altar and his head bowed listened as
Pastor Shumway spoke to him. 
"Richard Williams,"  the pastor said to him, "You said you accepted Jesus
Christ while you were still in the hospital, correct?"
 "That's correct, Pastor,"  Richard answered.
 "Now did you really mean that?" the pastor asked him.
  "I did. I remember when praying to God that passage from
 Romans ten versus thirteen which says that if you call on the name
of the Lord you shall be saved, yes?"
 The pastor had his Bible with him and just happened to have it on
that chapter and read it to Richard starting with verse eleven.  The
pastor read;  "For the scripture sayeth, Whosoever believeth
on Him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew or the Greek: for
the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.  Do you believe this?"
 "I do!"
The pastor went on, "Did you believe, when you made your confession
while in the hospital, that Jesus died for you and that He rose again the
third day?"
 "I did and still do."
 "If you believe in this, and have sincerely accepted Him as your personal
Savior, then by faith, Richard Williams, you are saved!  Do you believe
this?"

 "I do pastor, and thank you, Lord Jesus!"  Richard raised both his arms

up to invite the Holy Spirit in him.  Shouts of praise followed along with

much clapping and rejoicing.

"Welcome to the family of God, Richard Williams,"  Pastor Shumway

shouted with  praise,  "God bless you, brother!" 
Richard got up off his knees and he and the pastor embraced. 
 Karen and her mother, with tears of joy streaming down their faces went
over to embrace him as well.
  Neva said as she embraced her husband, "I'm so proud of you, Richard!
 I love you so much!"

 "I love you too, Neva,"  answered Richard, "and thanks for praying 

for me!"

 "Daddy,"  Karen cried joyfully, "Welcome home! I love you!"

 And I love you, too, Pumpkin,"  Richard responded in kind as he

took his daughter's head in both his hands and kissed her on top of

her head then embraced her.  All three of them, Karen, her mom

and dad were embraced as a threesome.

 Mac Davenport stood looking on as the Williamses embraced

each other and rejoiced.
  Mac thought back on the accident that nearly claimed both his
and Richard Williams' lives and realized that he wouldn't be
witnessing the scene before him had God not used him to rescue
Richard from dying lost.

 Mac looked up and began to thank the Lord for using him

and for letting him see the results of his actions.

 It was a narrow escape, Mac thought to himself. 
 Just then, he felt a hand on his left shoulder, snapping him out
of his revelry.  He looked to see Richard, Neva, and Karen

standing in front of him with Richard the one whose hand
was on Mac's shoulder. 
"Mac," said Richard, "Come over here." And with that Richard
pulled Mac into the threesome formed by he, Neva and Karen. 
 Richard then embraced Mac insomuch that his feet left the floor.
  "Mac," Richard started to say, "I thank the good Lord for you!
 You helped reunite me with my family and I feel I owe you my
life!"
 Mac replied with, "Thanks, Richard, but you really owe it to the
Lord. But I feel privileged to witness what I am seeing."
 "So true,"  Richard answered back, then said, "So do I!"
 Neva then embraced Mac and said, "You helped give my
husband back to me and Karen her father! God bless you!"
Then Karen came to embrace Mac and then as she stepped
back with both her hands holding the sides of his arms, she
looked up at him and said, "Like my mom said, you helped
give my dad back to us."  She went on, "But you really
helped bring him back to God and for that I want to thank
you. You really are a blessing to us."
 Karen hugged Mac once more then rejoined her mom and
dad and they both headed down the aisle, all three of them
waving to Mac as they did.
Karen looked back at Mac and smiled with Mac responding
with a modest grin and waved.


 The congregation began to disperse as everyone was going
their seperate ways, some hanging around to fellowship in
small groups with Mac, the Canfields, Jenny and Wilfred
in a group.
Wilfred began to say, "Young Mac?  We all got to witness
what we just saw, thanks in part to you."
 "Oh, yes," added Jenny, her eyes still red from crying tears
of joy at what she also witnessed, "I'm glad I got to know
them!  I love services like these!"
 Brian and Dawn each gave Mac a high five then they each
hugged him saying, "We love you, Uncle Mac."
 Gary shook Mac's hand and said, "I think you helped
 make everyone's day today, brother. Good job and
God bless."

The church was emptying out as folks headed to their
vehicles and pulled out of the church lot, Mac the last
remaining person. As he reached his red 4x4 pickup,
he turned then looked up toward the sky with the
clouds forming sunbeams as if to shine down on him
and the events that just happened. Mac then gave
the Lord a thumbs up and shouted with praise, "Thank
you, Lord!"


The conclusion of the Narrow Escape.