He bowed his head and prayed.

The fear of judgement would have been easy to collapse under, yet one foot after the other, he landed at the foot of an alter and cried out to God. This man, who had convinced himself that the minute he set foot inside a church, lightning would probably strike him down, was now weeping with his face buried in his hands and crying out to a God who poured out his love for the one who had wandered from the flock. Destined to break free from the chains that held him breathless under a crushing restraint of life's regrets, he was ready to give his suffering a new purpose. 

What he saw when he turned around was nothing short of a miracle in his eyes: the hands that satan might have tried to use to condemn him were now praising God for the return of the prodigal. With hands laid all over his back, this son could feel the love penetrate his once-hardened heart from the congregation that now lifted him up and accepted him for who he was, but moreso for who God called him to be. 

That day would shape the future of a marriage, the future of a family, and the future of the kingdom of God. The warrior had now accepted his calling and even though many battles would come his way, the war was already won and a Messiah was the victor. 

Fast forward to a few years later, the call that had been placed on the soldier's life was still as strong as ever. As he prepared to accompany hundreds of kids during church camp to learn about the wonder of this Savior that he serves, his heart softened for each child as he reveled at the small role he got to play in each one of their lives as he told about the day that he laid it all on the altar and turned to face a church crowd who had loved him almost as much as his Christ did. The victory was made ever so sweet when during the last night at camp, I looked up at the altar and saw this precious man of mine  leading a young boy in the sinner's prayer that would change the direction in his life the same way it changed the direction of mine when Jesus took back what belonged to him already. 

I wondered if the tears that I saw coming down my husband's face were similar to the time he accepted God's love in place of the judgement he had feared; or if it were because he knew that this simple prayer would shape the future of the young man for whom he had led to Christ. Either way, I rejoice.