The Sock Monkey

I found a sock monkey at World Market the other day. It was an answer to prayer. It is a Christmas present.

The monkey tells a story, just by his very presence in a room. He tells a story about friendship and love and security.

A dear friend of mine has been sorting through some issues lately. She has taken quite a bit of time to put her own life back together after a period of drug use and crime that landed her in jail. She has been out of jail for more than a year now. The man she was dating while she was in this irresponsible lifestyle was also put in jail. He has just come out of jail recently and this pair is facing decisions about whether to continue a relationship that started during a very dark time in life and involved a great deal of sinful behaviors.

This friend joined me in Gene Sue's prayer group for the last two weeks at Wednesday night Re-Connect service. We talked about love and security and friendship. We all need it. Gene shared the story of his own childhood, when his father would beat little Gene abusively. To this day, Gene bears physical damage in his body from those beatings. During those times, little Gene would cling to a sock monkey as a reminder that he had a friend. Much later in life, Jesus ministered to the adult Gene, showing him that Jesus was always present with Gene, and was shedding tears over the evil his father chose to do. God has given men and women free will and they can choose to do things which harm themselves and other people.

Dale Harper shared as well. He had us read Psalms 1,23 and 91 (read them!). They deal with God's love and comfort for David, who spent years running for his life.

After reading Psalm 91, he continued, “Sometimes we look to the wrong person for safety and it brings confusion instead. We want God to be that blessing in your life, to give you strength. He is always your friend!”

So, the sock monkey will be my Christmas gift to my friend. It will remind her that Jesus is a friend who is always there for us, in good and evil days. She will have to make the difficult choices about relationships. But knowing that Jesus is always there with her, never leaving her, will give her courage, wisdom and a friend during those times when she feels afraid of being alone!

"...you are my friends..." (Jesus' words in John 15:15)
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Jesus' words in Matthew 28:20)

--Posted by Mama O.