The traffic was heavy there with pot seekers, drunks and rowdy wrench men showing off new additions to their Harleys. Gunner was a past president of the local outlaw club, known by many as simply "Shotgun".

Upon our first meeting, Gunner was suspicious that I was a planted undercover agent, whom he went to great lengths to check out. We laugh about it now, being best of friends, but that friendship with respect was purely due to an act of obedience unto the Lord.

On that day as the interruptions continued, both by phone and busybodies looking for a high, I tried to speak with Gunner concerning important issues of God's word. Yes he was a dealer, and yes I was sitting among users in a smoke filled marijuana haven for those void of the money for a bag, hoping another doobie would be lit and passed.

I just relaxed back on the couch waving my hands back and forth and said, "No thanks, I'm alright" to any joints that were attempted to be passed to me.

I had gotten used to the come back, "Oh he's ok. He just doesn't get stoned. He's a preacher." Those were the days before they called me "their preacherman", and knowing I was in a sense "a plant" - I had no fears that flooded me, such as: "What if there is a big bust while you're sitting here!- How will it look if the preacher goes down with the drug users?"

Oh those thoughts did occur, which I prayed about every time I had them, you can count on that! But the answer was the same: "Go in peace and shine forth my glory! Let them see Me in you!" Jesus said.

I was in His peace on that day when I heard something mentioned about a busted zipper in Gunner's riding jacket. It had been put aside and he was only wearing a jean jacket while riding his Harley FLX dresser.

Some called him Shotgun for a reason. He only had one good leg left. The muscles in his right leg had nearly been blasted away by a shotgun over an ordeal concerning an ex wife. He had only one good leg to hold that full dresser up.

I was in a state of mental prayer, asking, "How I am to get through to Gunner Lord? I know your hand is upon him." The response came after a moment of mental silence.

"Tell him you MUST replace the busted zipper in his jacket by Friday before 1:28 AM! Offer to do it without cost!"

I said just that, those VERY words, and Gunner stopped all activity and looked stunned. He said, "Brother, why be so specific about the time?"

I replied, "That's simply the time the Lord said it must be done."

"Brother you're beginning to scare ME!" he blurted. Another, attempting to gain his attention back was told to shut up! Gunner made it clear he was talking to the preacher and he didn't want to be interrupted.

He then invited me back to the closet in his room. He showed me the old worn motorcycle jacket; a jacket from the 60s. It was his "special leathers" he called it.

I glanced over the zipper rips and knew I could repair the jacket with a whole new zipper I had at the house among my leather repair supplies.

I offered to repair it without cost, and I was asked: "What's the catch?"

"Just be wearing it at 1:28 AM this Friday, assuming you will be riding, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be riding this Friday, but take your time, you don't have to have it ready by this Friday." he said.

I almost agreed, but again I was instructed with a strong prompting by the Lord to repeat that I DID HAVE TO HAVE IT READY FOR HIM AT THAT TIME!

Again my comment spooked Gunner, and he seemed worried. He mentioned that he wanted to talk but so much distraction was aimed his way. He walked through the trailer with a loud voice and with his hands waving he ran everyone out of the trailer except he and I.

The phone rang but he lifted it, hung it right back up and then threw it off the hook on the couch. He seemed as if he was angry, but I know now that his angry manners were only covering his fears.

"Brother, I've been having some strange nightmares where I wake up with my good leg gone! Now you have me wondering, because I did ask a prayer last night for God to show me what that means, then you came BY TODAY, talking about this Friday time! I bet you didn't know I was a Presbyterian preacher once did ya?"

That threw me back at just about the time the phone began to resound with that blaring signal that tells one the phone is off the hook! Gunner reached and unplugged the thing, calling it, "the devil's voice".

Although I sensed God's calling was upon Gunner, I had no idea he had already been a preacher. I was stunned. It just hadn't occurred to me I was reaching out to a backslidden brother. I thought he was totally ignorant of Godly matters.

After further undisrupted discussions, a kindred spirit was upon us. He gave me his special jacket with trust and I soon left for home to make the repairs, being that it was Wednesday evening already.

I had to have that repaired jacket back by early Friday.

I couldn't tell you then why but I knew it had to be done. I worked for a while removing the old zipper and re threading my hand awe and then I retired.

The work pressures of Thursday's duties had me going until late. I was tired before I even got back to working on the busted zipper. I had no machine. It had to be hand sewn and it had to be right!

I finished sewing all but the last foot of the zipper before I had to retire.

Friday's business kept me going until nearly 5 PM, but I knew I could finish it quickly. The hardest part was done. In my hurry, the only awe needle I had broke!

I knew of no place in town to purchase that type of needle. It had to be finished by a large, regular needle with a thimble, painstakingly pushing every stitch through the heavy leather.

My fingers were sore from the pushing and the pricks I was receiving. I began to panic. I wasn't sure if I'd have it done in time!

I began to whimper, "I can't DO THIS!" I left the room frustrated. I walked around outside consumed with stress, "What's the big deal with the zipper being repaired tonight anyway?! After ALL It's JUST A ZIPPER GOD! DO YOU HEAR ME? A ZIPPER!"

Stress was pushing the "duty" part, while pressing the "devotion" out of heart, which sometimes can happen in a labour of love for God.

We sometimes forget the love part and only see the labour!

The Spirit of God ran smooth over me and let me know that I needed to relax.

"If he's not at home when you're done, I know where he'll be....now relax and make it a labour of love. You can finish it", were the words that came to mind.

I left my work table and relaxed upon the floor. I continued in the work with prayers and praises coming from my heart. With each prick of the needle I knew my blood was going into the work, to be rewarded one day. I was reminded also to pray for Jesus' blood to be upon that leather jacket!

Finally I finished the repair, and then darted over to Gunner's trailer but he was already gone!

No one could exactly tell me where he went, but I remembered to stay in an attitude of devotion. I was soon strongly impressed with the words: "Jo Dolly's Bar".

I rushed through that bar room door in a quick glance and Gunner's smile met my sigh of relief.

Being a heavy drinker, he was only into his second drink. His appreciation was loud spoken.

"LOOK HOW THE PREACHERMAN REPAIRED MY JACKET!" he barreled out to all those present, then he turned in quietness and whispered to me, "You know brother, this may very well hold me together one day and save my life!"

I reminded him of the time mentioned: "1:28 AM.....Gunner.....be wearing it without fail...ok?" He squented and looked down, but reassured me that he'd be wearing it, "with respect!"

I asked if there was anything else I could do. I even offered to stay with him until that time, but he was insistent that I leave him. He had a strong belief that if something was destined to happen it would happen, and he would have to face it alone. He asked only that I be in prayer for him, especially at that time. I agreed and left.

Of course I couldn't just call it a night and go home to sleep. It was around 8 PM, so I drove downtown and was out among the crowd hanging out and street witnessing.

The time that passed was interesting and my immediate thoughts had ceased being on Gunner. I was watching people pass me when suddenly everyone in sight slowed into slower and slower paces, until they all seemed to be frozen in movements! I looked around and every one in sight was as if they had frozen! Sharply, they then all sped up into a normal pace as before!

I felt strange. What was happening with me? The time! "What time is it?" I asked a passerbyer! "It's 1:29, ...almost 1:30 AM", a man replied.

An urgency hit me that it wasn't about me. It was about Shotgun! I had to find him! I went to a few pay phones before I could finally find one that worked. I phoned the Jo Dolly's bar and finally someone answered. I spoke with a woman. I stayed on the phone for long minutes as the lady left the phone to do some checking. I could hear a loud commotion in the background.

Suddenly, while waiting on the phone, everyone in my sight slowed into slower and slower paces again, until they seemed to be frozen in movements! At this point, the people seemed to stay frozen longer, then again they quickly began normal movement!

I finally received the confirmed news over the phone that there had been a wreak outside that involved Gunner!

He had been lying out in the road with his good leg nearly severed off, after having been hit head on by a drunk man in pick up truck, just as he was leaving on his Harley!

I was the first among any family or friends to the hospital. I learned Gunner was in a coma state. There was nothing I could do but pray and wait by the ICU waiting room phone for most the night and morning.

At one point there, suddenly everyone in sight slowed into slower and slower paces again, until they seemed to be frozen in movements! Then they went back to normal movements! It had happened three TIMES! I wasn't sure what that meant.

During that time I was the one that answered the phone as multiples of bikers and family called, inquiring of his condition. I gave what details were given to me by staff, and comforted those that arrived in distress.

Later that Saturday they moved him into a room. The Lord prompted me to go home and bring back a spur I had once worn on my left boot. Jesus prompted me to place it on his bedside table with this note:

"Gunner...Jesus said to tell you, 'This is for your new boots! You will be up and walking well sooner than you think!'...signed, Preacherman Scott."

I was the first to see Gunner after he came out of the coma state. He didn't know who I was, but he felt I must be a good friend, and thought me to be.

That spur and note were left there for all the outlaw bikers to see as many came to visit him. Some could have taken it to be a sick or cruel joke to someone who now didn't have a good leg to stand on, but it was another obedient act in faith to the Lord.

Today, since his healing, they still speak of that note and spur, and the busted zipper that was hand sewed to the jacket just hours before the wreak. The zipped up jacket held his broken ribs and collar bones together, and spared him of any upper body road rash. He had none whatsoever above his waist!

Moreover, it was a witness many spoke of that brought a fear of God to mind, when the "Friday by 1:28 AM time" was spoken of.

Yes, 1:28 AM was the exact time of the accident!

Gunner had died three times after the impact. His heart had stopped three times. They had to revive him at the scene before he was placed in the ambulance; in the ambulance on the way, and another time in ICU.

I continued visiting Dan through out the months of recovery. He lost his good leg but he began getting around well with a custom fitted leg formed to his need, long before he actually remembered me.

It was about eight months later before Gunner actually recognized me. When he finally did, our talk before his accident, and the repaired busted zipper all came back to him and he began to shout.... "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE NOW! YOU'RE THE ZIPPER FIXER GUY WHO SAVED MY LIFE WITH THIS JACKET!"

"No I'm only the one who repairs busted zippers! Jesus is the one who saves!"

Since that time, we have prayed together and in repentance with sincere weeping that brought about a true life change, Gunner received the Lord. He has been such a blessing to us since.

I have also married him to his present wife, and buried his dear father with a VFW 21 gun salute, which has opened many doors of contacts to other unsaved bikers.

When God tells you to sew a new zipper, ... there's a reason. But whatever your labour for God may be, let it be "sewed" in love!

THE BUSTED ZIPPER © Copyright 2003 ~ by Chaplain Scott. All rights reserved to chaplainscott.com

Written Jan. 04, 03. 5:46 AM CST. --- Top