Angie Gage (South Carolina, USA)
You yourself [O God] have kept track of my misery. Put my tears into your bottle — aren’t they on your scroll already? - Psalm 56:8 (CEB)
I volunteer at a women’s prison. One of the highlights of my year is the annual Christmas gathering. Inmates and volunteers all pack into a huge gym, sitting side by side as guest speakers and worship leaders share messages of hope and encouragement. We enjoy two hours of worship and prayer, clapping and singing. The gathering concludes with volunteers distributing care packages to each inmate.
This year something different and life-changing happened. The chaplain asked the volunteers to come to the front of the room. She said to the inmates, “These women are here to pray with you; if you want prayer, come forward.” Every woman in the gym stood up! We watched silently as, one by one, women stepped forward to receive prayer, bravely sharing their pain and heartache. A few times, I felt a woman rest her head on my shoulder, like a child with her mother. More than once, I noticed teardrops landing on my shoes during the prayer.
These images reminded me of how God pays attention to our every tear and embraces us in our sorrow. As I thought about that Christmas gathering, I truly experienced what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ.
Like a loving mother, God holds us close.
Prison chaplains and volunteers
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