When the night comes and it is time to lay your head at rest, do you feel a sense of peace before you head off to dreamland? Perhaps you feel a sense of anxiety instead and the sleep you so desire will not come.
For me personally, it is a time to talk to Jesus and tell him about my day – those who entered my life and remain in my prayers. I thought of the other day when I volunteered for Roots for Youth when I had a soul searching conversation with one of its youth.
Perhaps he was discouraged and simply needed me to listen to him. He had goals and objectives but lacked the willpower to carry them out. It was in the calm of the evening he shared his story and it was filled with sadness. I found as I listened some of the flashbacks to my own youth came into view. It was in the evening that we shared together and whatever wisdom I had learned from my own experiences, I shared and he listened so politely while his own painful experiences was etched into his brow. The Roots House was indeed a safe place for him to be but soon he would have to leave and face the world alone.
That night as I lay in bed, I prayed earnestly for this young man that the light of God would illuminate his darkness and that God would lay his hand upon this young man’s life and point him to those who would encourage him, love him and protect him in his journey into the unknown. I praised God for allowing me to be there at Roots that night for I felt God was using me to minister at a time when a friend was needed. For my friend I hoped it would be a triumph for him to experience that the day to follow would give him new hope and joy.
The Bible records some other experiences of those who had not run away from their troubles but through faith in God preserved and experienced victory: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who gave Jesus a proper burial risking their own standing with the leaders of the day; they took their stand before the blessed event of the resurrection for they believed in faith that this was what the Lord would have them do,
Perhaps there is a lesson for all of us to focus on God in faith, not knowing what He will do to answer our prayers whether in the day or night. Many times in my own youth as I walked the railway tracks at night on my way home from church, I did not know what troubles would face me the next day but I did know that my Saviour piloted me over all the afflictions that I experienced at that time. There was no Roots House for me until God lead me to the Salvation Army where I met people who loved me and helped to guide me.
Maybe you can reach and experience triumph to walk in the will of God and that your journey in doing so is making you a stronger person. Or like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea the Lord will lead you to help a troubled individual whom God has allowed to enter into your life.
Fred Jeffery is a member of the Salvation Army and a volunteer at Roots House.
