I had arrived at my destination, parked and was getting ready to gather my things and open the door. In front of me, about 20 yards away, a man was stumbling sort of forward, walking under scaffolding, now drifting out into the street, now grabbing the scaffolding, talking to himself and getting back under it on the sidewalk.
I sat still and watched wondering if this guy was going to be able to keep it together. From what I was observing, odds were, no. He reached a small ramp in the sidewalk and literally stopped and muttered to himself trying to muster the skills needed to climb this one foot incline. Wasn't sure he was going to make it. He did--miraculously. He stumbled forward, sideways, forward and eventually arrived parallel to my car.
Next thing I know, some happy feet, some arms flying and he's flat on his back. I groaned. A young woman from the business right there hurried out the door and checked on him. I ambled slowly out and around to where he was turtled on the ground. Dude was seriously, seriously out of it. I reluctantly helped him up and guided him over to a seat on the ground out of the way.
"You need to take a break man. No more walking. You're not ready to keep walking. Just sit here for a while." Some water from inside the business, some incoherent talking. This was going to take a while.
Over the next 25 minutes we (me and 3 employees from the insurance office he'd fallen in front of) pieced together his story. The hospital discharge papers in his pocket cracked the mystery. Before that we were unable to understand more than a few words he said.
He had been released from Thorek that morning. His discharge recommended a 12 step program (gee, do you think?) and near as I could figure he had gotten seriously sauced between his discharge and 10:30am. This guy was clearly in some deep bondage. It was heartbreaking and angering at the same time.
CFD arrived shortly after we called. They were bringing him right back to Thorek again--he'd made it only a few minutes out of the hospital before returning to his addictions, with a vengeance.
Can I just go on record here? I hate what sin has done to the dignity of man, created in God's image. This guy was living far from his calling. Far from the promise of God that he had been created for. The Enemy's schemes are his dominant reality. And yet, unless he chooses something different, there is nothing anyone can do to give him freedom.
Lord, intervene in this man's life in an undeniable, life-altering way. Whatever it takes, rescue him from this bondage while he still has life in is lungs.
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