Recently a man came up to me after the prison ministry and asked for prayer. In some one-on-one counsel he told me of his apprehension of getting out soon and meeting his Mom. He is a young man around 30 years old who has been in prison for several years. His concern was that he had never known his Mom to be sober. For his whole life, they were either drunk or high together, or both. Once he was in prison, he got sobered up and had been drawn to the Lord. He started going to prison church regularly and learning about the power of prayer. He started praying for his Mom. With that, his Mom got busted and is in drug court. She, too, has sobered up. Now, he is about to get out and meet her for the first time in his life with them both being sober. He is excited and just sort of scared for who he is going to meet. He expressed that he just does not know what it is going to be like or what to expect. He feels like he is going to meet his real Mother for the first time in his life. We did some praying together concerning the situation, and I encouraged him to be walking in the Spirit by trusting God in the whole thing, and keep the Lord central is his life committed totally to Him. And, we agreed that his Mom come into the things of God with her making a total commitment to Him, also.
I daresay that most of us have not dealt with such a situation in our personal lives. But whether this or some other type situation, there is a lesson that we all can take to heart – never give up hope. With our trust in God and calling upon his name, we can expect and prepare for change to occur. God did not just turn us loose and say “Make it the best you can.” He gave promise that if we call upon him and give ourselves to him, he will be faithful to help us and guide us into the way, the truth, and the abundant life. He is bigger than all situations. Even when it seems impossible, remember, with God, all things are possible. This young man and his Mom have the opportunity to start a whole new life. It is in his heart to help others come into the same new life in the Lord that he is experiencing. I am praying that he stand strong and give a clear witness to his Mom of his commitment to the Lord and the blessings he is experiencing in him, and that she can know him, too. This is what it takes. It takes the power of the Spirit of God in and upon our lives to overcome the patterns of destruction that get set up in our lives. We in ourselves fail, but with God all things are possible.
