A Wayward Wife and Two Dead Sons

“My dear friend, when grief presses you to the dust, worship there.” – C.H. Spurgeon

I have shared the story of Deacon Hayes before, but it bears repeating.

I met Deacon Hayes at Otisville Correctional Institution in upstate New York back in the 1990s. Our prison ministry softball team was scheduled to play an afternoon doubleheader that day, but we were invited to conduct a full chapel service beforehand.

While we were waiting for the general inmate population to filter into the chapel, I spoke with Deacon Hayes outside for a few minutes and I remember our brief conversation vividly to this day.

“Since I have been incarcerated,” Deacon Hayes said, “my wife left me, and both of my sons have died – one from AIDS and one from a drug overdose.” After pausing momentarily to brush tears away from his eyes, he looked skyward and said “but I still have joy” as a broad smile enveloped his face.

My friend, if Deacon Hayes could find joy – and worship God – amidst such heartache and pain, we should do likewise. In fact, it is often at the lowest points of our life when there is no place to look but up that the most genuine worship happens, because that is when we lean the hardest on God.

Jonah learned that lesson well, as did Job. Let’s follow in their footsteps… and those of Deacon Hayes, too.

“He said: ‘In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry’… ‘When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.’” Jonah 2:2 & 7 (NIV)

“Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:20-21 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President