“The gist of [Luke] 15 is that it
is God who saves men, and that he does so because he wishes and
delights to do so.” The Message of Luke
by Michael Wilcock. The Bible Speaks Today Series. ©
1979 by IVP. P. 156
Last
Sunday afternoon in the multipurpose room of the Barron County
Justice Center about 30 inmates and three jailers bore witness to
God's ability to save. For the first time in his life, Troy went
to jail on his own accord (he's been taken
to jail lots of time before.) I've written about Troy before. Last
July I shared about that remarkable Sunday when he asked to be born
again (Being Born Again on Sunday - July 28) and then in December following Christmas Eve service (Miracle - Dec 30).
Watching salvation come to his home in realtime has been one of my
personal highlights of the past year.
Baptized at "the 40" |
Troy
and I met at the JC a few days after the services I held on the last
Sunday in January 2011 and then began to meet weekly right up until I
left for a three-week missions trip to the Philippines and he
acquired Huber privileges. When he was released at the end of May, he
was at our next worship gathering just as he had promised he would
be. And he's been there ever since. After his release, we continued
to meet weekly at his home reading Scripture and praying together.
His wife, Marie, would sometimes sit with us but mostly it was he and
I sharing together while the rest of his household came and went. He
was born again in July and baptized at our Annual Faith Family Camp a
few weeks later. Last fall, we ran a modified Alpha course of which
Marie and he were a part of . When the plant he worked at relocated
out of state, he didn't climb into the bottle (although he insists he
was tempted to.) Within a week or two, he was hired by a factory in
Rice Lake and has been working there ever since. His 13-year old son,
Alex, comes to our weekly worship gathering from time to time as does
Marie. Troy has used his many skills to repair all sorts of things at
our facility, served as our cook for the Alpha Course and, when his
wife was laid up, he actually baked a wedding cake for a young couple
of our fellowship who were recently married. Is there anything this
man cannot do?
Troy's son, Alex, and I share the same birthday (plus or minus 37years) |
The man's got talent |
Our
Annual Missions Event this past May focused on loving our neighbors
whether they live across the street or across the ocean. Troy shared
at the Friday night story-telling session how he planned to return to
jail as soon as we “off paper” (in order for a former inmate of
the JC to participate in any of the worship gatherings they must be
clean for one year or more) so that he could share his story with
people who are sitting where he once sat. He met with Sheree, the
Director of Inmate Services, in mid-July and was issued his official
badge that designates that he is a member of the ministry team (his
“get-out-of-jail-free” card.) And this past Sunday he accompanied
me as I drove over to Barron to conduct the service there. He was
understandably nervous. He has been to the JC way too many times for
a guy his age and now, for the first time, he would be on the other
side of it. Before we walked in, he turned to me and said, “I need
a quick smoke.” A few puffs later, we were on our way in.
Due
to the fact that there would only be one service today, the
multipurpose room was full and because it was the sergeant on duty
would assist the two other jailers who normally sit in on the worship
gatherings. Jim knows Troy well having had to lock him up many times
before. When the last block of guys were seated, Jim gave me the high
sign and we began. Troy had told me at Refuge when we met for prayer
before we drove over that he didn't think he would share much. When I
introduced him to the guys (and gals), he took about three minutes to
share a little bit about himself. It wasn't what you would call an
eloquent speech but in my estimate him being
there
was the message that was exceedingly poignant. In that hour long
service he took several more steps in what I like to refer to as “the
Kingdom's great recycling plan.”
“Praise God, the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us
comfort. He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share
that same comfort with others in trouble.”(2
Corinthians 1:3-4, CEV)
In the
Kingdom nothing is wasted – no trial, no pain, no stupid decisions
we make, no wrong path we carelessly take – when, after repenting
of the same and giving our pain to Jesus, he “recycles” it
turning it into another's gain. That afternoon, Troy made good on a
promise he made to me while still an inmate at the JC and testified
just by being there of God's wonderful, yes, amazing, grace.
The Sower is still sowing |
Sitting
in that audience were two individuals that I have had frequent
conversations with this past year. Both are what the guards would
call “lifers”, people who just can't beat it and come and go to
the Justice Center or other places of incarceration. “Sally” had
been introduced to Jesus by one of the guards several months ago and
having known her for years, we have met regularly over the last five
months or so. She has two kids – a high schooler and a
grade-schooler, both of whom are living with her mom in Chetek. She
was facing sentencing a few days from our Sunday worship gathering.
“Mark” is an undiscipled believer in Jesus who is facing
sentencing another week from now. I gave Mark the same counsel I had
given Sally the last time I met with her: Whatever happens in that
courtroom, can you trust that the Lord's leadership is perfect? Can
you believe the words that Paul counseled other disciples who were
enduring hardship, “And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to
his purpose” (Rom 8:28) and that nothing, absolutely nothing,
separates us from his love and care (Rom 8:31-39)? Sally was
sentenced to prison for seven years this past week. Sheree sent me an
email telling me that she no longer wishes to see me – or anyone
else for that matter. What will Mark do when things don't play the
way he hopes they will a week or so from now? Will he see a prison
sentence as not only discipline but as an assignment from heaven? Or
will he leave his Bible behind when he is moved to Dodge
Correctional? Time will tell just how much or little the grace of God
is at work in him. At the moment, Sally seems to be playing the part
of the “seed in the rocks” as if on cue.
“Can
the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” (Jeremiah
13:23) so quipped
Jeremiah to his Judean audience citing an ancient proverbial saying
to upbraid them for their hard-heartedness. The implication, of
course, is that people cannot change who they are apart, of course,
by the work of a sovereign God. This past Sunday Troy bore witness to
the fact that every once in a while, the leopard can,
indeed, change. After the gathering was over and the inmates had
cleared the room, Sergeant Jim came up to us to thank us for coming
and then turning to Troy he said, “You know, it's good to know that
some stories turn out well after all.” Amen, Sergeant Jim. I
heartily agree.
May he never need it |
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