Saved by a Sunset

I had the blessing of meeting a young man at the juvenile detention center. As so often happens when I go to minister to others, I find them ministering to me. As I go to share the gospel with them, their stories often bring the Good News alive to me in a fresh way. It was almost as though my sheltered, blessed life had kept me from truly seeing it in all its glory.

He came from an abusive past and had been through two adoptions by the age of four. We would like to believe that the wounds from early childhood trauma—abuse and neglect, abandonment—could be easily overcome as they enter the fold of a new family. But in fact, these wounds are not so easily healed. While raised in a Christian home, he pushed God away. He went from claiming that God didn’t exist . . . to blaming him…to simply ignoring him. He turned to cutting to try to mask the pain from the deep hurts within and he eventually entertained suicidal thoughts. He felt worthless . . . life seemed hopeless. 

On the bed of a treatment center in another state, one facility in a string of many, he had an amazing view of the setting sun. It was one of the only things he found himself looking forward to each day. One day, the colors were spectacular and the sky itself was this amazing shade of blue . . . beyond description. As he stared at the splendor of the watercolor splashed across the horizon, his thoughts turned to the God he had tried so hard to push away. He found himself weeping uncontrollably—for two hours! It was as though God himself had come to meet with him, there in his deepest despair. 

I don’t know if his tears were for the hurt others had done to him? The hurt he had done to others? Or simply awe in the presence of a mighty God, and joy in discovering that he was worthy and there was hope! Since that day, life has been different. Not perfect, but very different. The rage subsided, replaced by a calm and peace he hadn’t known. His anger towards others was, for a time, refocused on himself for the hurt he had caused others. He continues to work on forgiveness—especially for himself. But now he has hope, he dares to dream of his future, and, most importantly, he desires to know more and more of God and his will for his life! 

As we sat and visited, I saw him smile. He had his hands folded in his lap and his shoulders sort of drawn in and hunched forward . . . almost as though hugging himself. I commented, simply, “You look happy.” He responded with that same sweet smile, “I am.” I made a safe assumption and replied, “That’s not a very familiar emotion, is it?” His quick response was insightful and honest, “Not on the inside.” He went on to share that throughout his life, his “happy” times had been a mask over the deep hurt within. This smile, a smile that went all the way to his soul, was worth a million dollars . . . certainly worth the three hours spent on a Saturday morning in a barren cell with a table and two chairs. That smile was the smile of a new creation—in Christ. To God be the glory!

“I am worn out from my groaning. All

night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.”

Psalm 6:6 NIV

“And the peace of God, which

transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your

minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:7 NIV

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the

new creation has come:  The old

has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV