Tonight I saw the face of a child that didn't know what to do because the man she should've trusted most had betrayed her.
Tonight I saw the face of a child that had been almost starved and malnourished due to a mother that wasn't quite ready and had been abandoned.
Tonight I saw the face of a child that had been beaten while standing in between an enraged father and sibling.
Tonight I got to see how cruel the world can be to those that least deserve it.
Tonight I heard a man talk about God's calling.
Tonight I heard God's calling to put into motion what had a firm foundation built already.
Tonight I heard the unity of ten voices being raised to worship God with all they had within them.
Tonight I heard the weeping voice of a child that had learned that they had to trust God with all their might.
Tonight I heard the voice of someone that needed to hear God through me.
Tonight I held a child in my arms that hardly knew a loving touch existed.
Tonight I held the drumsticks that led a solid state of worship from middle schoolers.
Tonight I held dear the words that I had been hearing for the past week and a half.
Tonight I held God close by as he was well needed as he always is.
Tonight I watched tears fall from the generally happy faces.
Tonight I watched as a man brought a room to silence.
Tonight I watched as evil showed it's face for a second then fled the scene as God's grace was shown.
Tonight I watched literally knelt knees and bowed heads at an alter pray with all they had.
Tonight was one of those nights that only come once in a blue moon. I had been patiently waiting for a chance to the kids of the youth group I work with that I wasn't always this happy guy that they knew. Little did I know exactly what God had in store. He had in store every scenario I had been through and had been recently discussing with people. It tore me up to hear as middle schoolers told me what had happened to them... that these wonderful kids that always seemed so energetic and full of life had constantly been so close to death, so to speak. I had constantly known what to expect, but I still wasn't sure I was ready. I soon heard a voice saying it's your turn now. So I stepped out and sat in a seat next to one of the youth, and began my trek through the difficult lives that had been going on. I didn't realize how little I knew till it all began. I heard a song called "Rescue" playing in the background... and I was praying "Lord, help me here, cause I'm not the one that's going to help these kids here" as I learned of all types of situations. I wanted to cry so badly... but something stopped me... saying be strong... keep your head up and show them that it's possible to serve me after all of it. So, I did just that. A youth meeting that should've ended at 7:30 ended with the last youth getting out at a little after 8 due to the talks that were going on.
"It's not that I need you, but it's the fact that I need the God in you"
That's what I kept hearing in my head as I talked to those youth. That's what I pictured them saying to me as we talked. It took all I had to be able to focus when I got to MACU, and even with that I couldn't fully. Not to mention that I wasn't quite done yet, as I texted with this young girl that still had questions and all. Still after that, it wasn't over. I still had to explain to one more person what had gone on... what I had heard, seen, and found out.
"Even Peter, the rock, faltered, in fact... he denied Christ three times. It's in times like that in which we can look back and say, upon this my faith is built."
The last words spoken with the entire youth group listening. Echoes shot through my head. That was quite possibly the single and most simplistic way I had ever heard that. The rock had been faltered... only to be moved by the worst time of his life... denying Jesus three times right before our savior was sacrificed on that cross. I had one question left in my head.... "What will be the time that you'll look back and say that that was the time that eventually built the faith in God on which you lived? And would that compare to what Peter had to go through?"
Tonight, I saw God shine his light and brighten up a room filled with darkness. His mercy and grace brought out all we needed to say.
What did you see from God tonight? Did you pay enough attention? Or did you get too busy and caught up in what you were doing?
