Recently my water main broke. It was 9 o’clock at night and my family and I were in the backyard shoveling mud trying to find the leak. The pipes are a century old, and with no maintenance ever it was only a matter of time before this happened. With 20 gallons an hour going somewhere, we couldn’t ignore the issue. This problem couldn’t wait!
The water was turned off to the house, plans were made for igloos of water to get through the night. The neighbors let us come over for the bathroom while I undertook the repairs. Our kitchen had mud tracked through it. What a hassle, what a mess. Honestly, it felt like camping and I was not a happy camper!
In the midst of the muck, God showed that this is exactly what it’s like to be spiritually lost. The kids we seek out and minister to have the water mains of their life broken. They have incredible family wounds, cracks and fractures from their own bad choices, and clean disconnects from God, the giver of life. Being spiritually lost makes a big, muddy, mess of life.
Recently Sylvia, one of our staff got a call from a group home where one of the girls wouldn’t come out of her room. Sylvia was doing Christmas shopping but put that on pause and headed right over. As she entered the room, Riley let her know she had no intention of participating in anything. “That’s fine, I just want to pray for you, can I do that?” Sylvia asked.
Riley’s been through it. Her dad died young, she became drug addicted, got into witchcraft, was trafficked by her dealer – really, really messy stuff. Sylvia asked permission to lay a hand on her shoulder and simply ministered to her with presence and prayer.
Do you think Riley came out of the room? You bet ya! Riley has since accepted Jesus and is walking in a new light. There’s healing taking place, slowly but surely.
Listen, fixing my water main was a gigantic, crud-filled pain. But honestly, the parts to do it cost under $100. Likewise, the lives of lost teens are full of pain, and even evil, but the simple gospel shared by the hands and feet of God’s people is more than enough to meet the challenge.
Do you believe that the simple gospel can change lives? It was true for the woman at the well, for the murderer Moses, and for the traitor Zaccheus. God’s grace found you and me in our rebellion and death and brought brand new life.
You know, my water main still needs work. Not so much the one going to my house, but the one going from Jesus to me. Sometimes we nick the line and things get gunked up. An errant shovel of sin driven deep into our souls, or perhaps years of neglecting being with Jesus relationally.
Friend, let 2023 be a year of shoring up your life-giving connection with Jesus. He himself is the source of everything that we need and yearn for. Only He can turn your story heavenward.
The gospel is the power of God! It is for you, me, and Riley in Christ. And it is for our salvation.
Romans 1:16,
Jameson
P.S. Thank you for partnering with YFC. Your faithful generosity of time, prayer, and money keeps YFC at the forefront of seeking out and engaging kids with the good news of Jesus!