Chapter Seventeen
The Guiding Light
by
Jerri Tuck
"The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great light:
they that dwell in the
land of the shadow of death,
upon them hath the light shined."
Isaiah 9:2
Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a soap opera. I
suppose you would have to know our family to
understand where I'm coming from. With Charlie and I having eight kids between
us, I'm sure you can probably figure it out. Seems as though there's always a
crisis. Occasionally we jokingly say, "If there isn't a crisis around
here, we'll invent one for sure."
Funnier said than done!
Take the situation with Mark (name has been changed). Mark has been around our family for a long time now. Not as a friend, but as a romantic involvement for three of our girls! I know that's hard to fathom, but hear me out.
When our youngest daughter was only seventeen, she was strongly attracted to Mark. Not only was he easy to talk to and therefore a friend to confide in, he was also eleven years her senior. This seemed quite grown up and awesome to an impressionable teenager. To a concerned parent it was a red flag!
Upon finding out about her interest in Mark, I had to take the reins and put the proverbial foot down. Forbidding her to see him anymore, we managed to get through her broken heart and flood of tears. Whew, it's hard being a parent. So many times we look like the bad guy, if you know what I mean.
Time marched on, and several years later our second
youngest daughter got involved with Mark. She was out on her own and there
wasn't much we could do about the relationship. That is physically. Aren't
you glad we have the avenue of prayer? By this time, we realized that Mark was
bad news. He was involved in selling drugs, especially cocaine, and we were
naturally very concerned about our daughter.
Her younger sister, the one who initially had fallen in love with Mark, began praying and fasting about the situation. It wasn't long before Mark was history again. "Thanks God! And thanks too, for concerned siblings."
A few more years went by, and Mark cropped up again. This time with our oldest daughter living in Georgia. "Oh, Lord," we cried. "When will things be over with this guy?"
We knew Mark was still involved with drugs, but we weren't sure of the extent of his involvement because he was also working and making a good living in construction.
We just kept praying, but developing in those prayers was a love for Mark. "Lord, if this guy is meant to be in our family, then please save him.
Do whatever it takes to touch him and our daughter."
In case you're not aware of it, this is a dangerous prayer. When you completely turn everything over to the Lord, with regard to your children, you better hang onto your hat, because the ride is just beginning.
Mark was soon arrested for possession with intent to sell. Sitting in the courtroom, I listened to the judge sentence this young man to ten years in prison. Was I happy that he would finally be out of our lives? No way. By this time, my prayers had led me into a real love for Mark. A love that went beyond Jerri Tuck's ability to love. It was the love that Jesus has for one who desperately needs Him.
All along the Lord was looking for a vessel through which he could love this young man. I had relinquished my rights to hatred and hostility, and by doing so the Lord Himself filled my cup to overflowing with His unconditional love for Mark. Love is easy to acquire when we let the Lord know we are willing.
Before Mark left for jail, I encouraged him to read
his Bible and turn his life over to the Lord. Then
I turned to comfort the daughter who was hopelessly in love with him.
Facing a ten year prison sentence isn't easy for anyone. As Mark sat in his cell, he tried to read his Bible. The whole thing didn't make sense. How had his life come to this?
Growing up in the Catholic church, Mark was raised to know the difference between right and wrong. As an altar boy, he had memorized the entire liturgy and even knew the lines before the priest would utter them. He thought he knew it all, and now here he was in the biggest mess of his life.
The Macon jail is not an easy place to concentrate. Twenty-four hours a day the inmates are yelling obscenities, banging on the bars and walls, and taunting the guards with lewd suggestions. When Mark would call me, I could scarcely understand him for all the noise in the background. "Lord, how is he going to hear you in all that confusion?"
Never underestimate the power and clarity of that still, small voice. Mark started reading the book of John, and as he came to the fifth chapter, God began to deal with him. Reading the Bible from a modern day translation, the words leaped out at him. "You think the answer is in the scriptures, but the answer is in me!"
Calling me from the jail, Mark was breathless with
excitement. "Miss Tuck, it was as though a
light went on. It was there right in front of me all the time. Jesus is what
it's all about, and I've missed it all these years. After reading the Bible, I went
to the church service and when they gave the altar call, I went down front
and got saved. I'm so happy. I can't begin to tell you what this means to
me. I mean everything has changed. Why couldn't I see this before?"
Why indeed! Perhaps because I was unwilling to love this guy when he first came into our lives. At that time I only saw him as a threat to our girls and not as a person that God loved. Boy, was I learning about God's relentless pursuit of a soul. Ever feel dense? It took relationships with three of our daughters for me to get the picture. God wanted Mark for himself!
As I visited Mark each week, I could see he was growing in the Lord. I started him on a Bible memorization program with the Navigators and with each visit, he proudly quoted his latest verse. He began pouring himself into the word and was excitedly learning the Bible stories. His wonder over simple things caused me to realize how much I had taken for granted. Sometimes we can even make the Bible seem like old hat because we've been reading it for so many years. I began seeing it through Mark's eyes. "Wow God. This is neat! I had forgotten how exciting the battle of Jericho was, and how you helped Joseph down in the prison."
Along with encouraging Mark to read and memorize the verses, I began bringing him biographies of modern day believers. Stories from Voice magazine and books like, The Cross and the Switchblade and Run, Baby, Run.
It wasn't long before Mark was sharing his faith, both by word of mouth and by passing along the tracts and books I kept bringing him. One inmate, a self-proclaimed atheist, read Nicky Cruz's book and subsequently wrote to Nicky. What a surprise when he received a three page, handwritten letter from this author of Run, Baby, Run. The atheist became a Christian and then passed the book on to others. Soon others were writing to Nicky. (I know Nicky was blessed to know his book, written decades ago, was still bringing forth fruit!)
While in jail, Mark started witnessing to a young man who had murdered several people in a Macon sandwich shop. Before Mark's transfer, this young man had confessed his sin to God and was starting a new life with the One who had paid the eternal penalty for his sin.
Where will all of this lead? Only the Lord knows. I know one thing for certain. It's going to be good. If I were a betting person, I'd put my money on God's new man. Mark's going to be something great for the Kingdom of God.
As for our daughter? Mark's conversion has made a tremendous impact on her life. She says that all she wants now is a Christian home and the Lord in her life. She's writing to Mark every day and sending him scriptures to encourage him. Can she wait for him? I believe she can. Besides, in this particular soap opera, all of our other daughters are taken. Hence......end of script!
Prayer for Today
Dear Lord,
When my life seems hectic and things aren’t working out the way I plan, remind me that your ways are higher than my ways and your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Sometimes it seems like it would help, Lord, if I just knew what you were up to…but then I wouldn’t have to walk by faith…would I? Lord, even when my way is dark, and I feel like I’m going over the edge, remind me that you have everything under control.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Jerri Tuck –
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