Never Empty

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth,
it will not return to Me empty, without
accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding
in the matter for which I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:11)

A few Thursdays ago, I found myself in what I’d have to say was my most nerve racking night that I have ever experienced in the last eight years of jail ministry. Let me set the scene for you, during the months of December & January I was in the section that most ministers dread, the Pink section. The Pink section is the lock down section, the section where the rowdiest inmates are housed. Some are in there because they couldn’t get along with other inmates, but the majority are in there for murder. I myself have grown to love ministering in this section, because these guys are at about the lowest place that you can go inside the jail. It’s a place where hope seems to be non-existent. These guys are in there cells which usually measure about 7 feet by 10 feet, for 23 hours a day. They are allowed out of there cell for 1 hour a day inside the cellblock, some haven’t seen sunlight other than what comes through their about 6 foot by 10 inch back window. The doors are solid steel with a small 1 foot square steel screen window, where you can see the inmates that are listening to the sermon standing & looking out.

While in this section there were 2 men who didn’t want to hear what was being said, the rest of the men were eagerly listening although they could hardly hear me. Now a lot of the men in this section have accepted Christ & are going through our Bible study courses & doing well. But this night God had laid it on my heart to speak about being ready for the return of Christ & how it will be as it was in Noah’s time when Jesus returns. The two men who didn’t want to listen started banging on their doors which echoed to the point it was almost deafening. One on the bottom row was hitting his door so hard that it was moving & appeared as though it would be knocked out of its track. The two were calling me all kinds of profane names, one yelled 666 over & over while the other screamed “There is no God” & both would through some form of liquid out of their window aimed at me, liquid that I’m pretty sure came from the toilet, but I just stepped back & kept preaching…believe me after this 9th grade boys Sunday School doesn’t seem that bad. During this time some of the other men were yelling at them to stop.

For the first time in the jail I was very nervous, a little afraid & felt as if I was wasting my time, I even asked God if I should just leave. But at that time God placed a peace on my heart & as clear as a bell He told me to stay & continue to say exactly what He wanted me to say… so I did. I was still nervous & a little scared but, I could see that the ones who wanted to hear God’s word were standing & listening at their window. I finished & decided to go to each cell & pray for the ones that wanted prayer, which were all but those two. I was kind of leery about getting close to those two cells because I was afraid that I would get doused with Lord only knows what. But I prayed with each cell, even one of the guys that caused trouble all night. He prayed with me with tears in his eyes, (I found out that he had just come off suicide watch). The other "666 yelling guy" asked me to pray for him, but he didn’t want me to pray for him there, “just pray for me when you get back to your church”, he said as he sat in the floor looking out of the crack between his cell door & the white block wall.

I left that night distraught & miserable, I felt as if it was all for nothing, my throat hurt from trying to talk over all the noise & I thought that there was no way that anything could ever come from this service…but I guess I underestimated God.

About a week later I received a letter from the guys in the Pink section, I thought I’d share it with you:

Shawn,

Hey, sorry about the situation that you walked into today, but I’m glad you came on in, it showed a lot of respect for your faith & the strength of God's work. We’re going to miss you, you inspired us all & we love you. I know it’s hard to tell with the way we carried on today but there is more than one way to show love. We’re proud that you stayed & didn’t walk out because we needed to see some strength other than ours. God’s work is not easy & you blessed today not saying you didn’t before, but today was great & you won our hearts forever.
Keep up the good work, because God is watching.

Love,
Pink section

P.S.
We send you our blessing so you will keep on blessing others with God’s word. We love you all (the CCJM), thanks for everything.

Needless to say, after I received this letter, Isaiah 55:11 came to mind, where it states “it will not return to me empty”. What I thought was a waste of time… God was using to teach a lesson to these men... & to me. That no matter the place or situation, no matter how bleak life at times can appear, He is still in control, His plan is always in action & He can work through anyone...even me.

Vern