Another Late Night Call

The next arrest came on a Saturday night in January. I remember because I was scheduled to start a new Bible study at my church the next day. I remember being overjoyed about the number of participants since the count had doubled.  A good friend reminded me not to get too excited because the Evil One, whom she calls Big Red, loves to squelch our joy when good things are happening for The Lord.  Sure enough, I got a call at about 2 in the morning.

For anyone who has experienced dealing with a rebellious child, the stress can affect every relationship it touches.  Parents are especially vulnerable since both feel a responsibility in rearing the child.   It is often too easy to let the pressure of the situation dictate the behavior. Hurtful words begin to fly, emotions explode, and each parent finds himself blaming the other for something of which neither is responsible. Add to that the nurturing instinct of the mother and the mix can be volatile.

My husband and I had numerous disagreements about what to do with our wayward son. Do we leave him in jail to wait it out? Do we bail him out and set yet another ultimatum? Both of us thought we knew best what to do. I can remember the knots in my stomach from just worrying about my decision. It's almost a no-win situation regardless of what we choose to do.

My son had been living with my grandmother since his first arrest. She could not bear the thought of him staying in jail, so I found myself driving to Birmingham to bring him home. My mother went with me to pick him up. I was angry and venting on the way down.  When we inquired about bond, we realized neither of us has brought our tax cards so we had to make a trip back home. For some reason, we began singing hymns as we traveled the miles. It calmed me down. It was not until years later that I realized what we were doing was worship. We were unconsciously praising the God of Salvation with our words and our songs.

 

My son came home, but his short stay had not changed his behavior. It may have delayed the inevitable for a short time, but many heartaches were soon to follow.  The Bible Study was a huge success and I was able to rest somewhat peacefully that Sunday night. My greatest joy came from knowing that one Saturday night in January, I was able to praise the Lord and beat Big Red at his game. Like the verse in Genesis 50:20 says: “ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Praise the Lord.