Company of Angels

She sat contentedly listening to the other women discuss the scripture passage. I wasn’t sure if she was going to speak until a fellow volunteer lovingly invited her to offer some thoughts. After a deep breath, she said, “I pray all the time and things are changing for me. I actually made parole, which surprised me. I’m doing things now which I never thought I’d do. I think it’s God.” These are the profound words of a petite incarcerated woman who has tasted the delights of hope, probably for the first time.

At a moment in history when many in our world feel discouraged at the lack of empathy and kindly support for one another, a recent prison ministry experience demonstrated the awesome nature of our merciful God whose love for every human being knows no boundaries. At this particular weekly Christian gathering inside a jail, a company of angels gathered around a fellow inmate to let her know that she matters and is not forgotten. These angels – also incarcerated women – have uncovered the amazing power of prayer, community and the unconditional love and mercy of God. Their encouraging words cut through years of abuse, neglect and trauma when offered to their friend, “Keep going, there was a time in my life when I forgot there was a God, but that doesn’t mean God forgot about me. I’m alive because of him.” Another angel offered a prayer for all the women inside, “For the women in this jail, please let them be open to the Spirit so that they will find God. Look what he did for me.”

While we were exiting the pod, waiting for the locked iron doors to open, I heard one of the angels say to our hopeful friend, “You’ve never looked better, there is a light in your eyes now. Keep going and keep praying. You can do this.” Transformation happens when someone believes in us. It becomes a reality when a person who has walked a similar life journey rises up in Christ and then instead of looking away, reaches back down to where she had been and pulls us up with her to the fullness of a new life. That is what happened inside the jail on this particular night. We volunteers were witnesses to a company of angels lifting up a friend into the palm of God’s loving hand where she will rest easy in hope.

I wonder if all of us “out here” are being called to follow the example of this company of angels in today’s world? Despite their challenging (and painful) lives and current living conditions, the angels are responding to the grace of God within them and giving back to others more in need – right where they are in life. What a beautiful witness of Christ’s love. Can we also reach out and love others like this beautiful and inspiring company of angels?