I had met Brian* the previous week. He’s a fighter; three knuckles on each hand were broken. No other kids were allowed out of their rooms when he was out. He wore all orange, Level 1, bad behavior. And he’s 12 years old.
I had arrived at Juvenile Hall on Sunday morning to lead Bible study but the 900 Pod (dorm) where I usually go wasn’t ready for me. I was sent to Brian’s Pod. The guards were behind their booth and he was sitting alone at the steel table, looking down, a permanent scowl on his face. The volunteer coordinator pointed to him and asked, “Can you talk to him?”
Listen. Not talk.
One open-ended question and he poured out what was on his heart. Arson, fighting, isolation, anger, and a New Testament he held in his hand.
“What do you know about God?” I asked.
“He’s powerful. He does miracles, but someone prayed for my hands and nothing happened.”
We opened his Bible to Ephesians 1:1–6 and he read, "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure."
Brian thoughtfully reflected on God being Dad, on God giving peace, on God planning to love him, on God seeing no fault in him, and on God’s great desire and pleasure in adopting him.
The invitation was there in the Word in black and white.
“Would you like God to be your dad? Would you like to be adopted by him?” I asked.
After his consent I led Brian in the simple, heartfelt prayer of a new son returning home to his Father.
“How are you doing now?” I asked.
“I feel awesome…it’s incredible,” he remarked. The scowl was gone. Holy Spirit had brought real healing to his heart.
The following week he wanted more, he wanted church, he wanted his Dad.
I sat with him again. Another boy joined us and we continued to read Ephesians. New insights and revelation came, as did deeper intimacy with Dad.
A God of power and miracles is one thing. God as Dad is something completely different. That’s what Brian, and all the boys in Juvenile Hall, really need. Immanuel. God with them.
We have "church" every Sunday morning in Juvenile Hall, and any child who wants to read the Bible and meet with Dad comes. The numbers are growing. I’ve led over 20 boys in Bible study, and this passage in Ephesians is a powerful key that unlocks their hearts to the presence of the Good Father. Many of these boys have "come home" to Dad. God’s message of belonging is good news they need to hear.
*Name has been changed
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alastair Rundle and his wife Catherine have three kids and live in Redding, CA. They are part of InnerCHANGE, an order within Novo committed to mission among the marginalized people of the world.