Can our prayers help chase away the darkness? This true story says, “Yes.”
I’d read about it in the Syracuse paper. A young man had committed suicide at the Carousel Mall by jumping over a Center Court railing, falling four stories to his death. He had been heavily into Goth and struggled with depression. He’d been listening to the music of Curt Cobain, a rock singer who’d also taken his own life. How sad!
On this particular summer’s day, my friend Kathie and I were shopping with our families at Carousel Mall. Our husbands were off somewhere with her boys, and we were taking a break at a small table outside a coffee shop.
Our table was next to a balcony looking down on Center Court, a large open, circular area viewed by all five stories. As we sat talking, I noticed a young man trudge slowly by our table. He was dressed in black, and wore dark eyeliner and whitish makeup, typical of the “Goth” look that was popular at the time.
Two things about him, however, caught my attention.
First was the way he looked—the expression on his face. He seemed very sad, as if he was all alone, oblivious to those around him. Second was where he was gazing —at the balcony railing which looked down on Center Court.
My mind went back to the tragic incident I’d read about in the paper, and I shared it with Kathie.
Oddly enough, a few minutes later, Goth Boy came around again, still looking sad, still casting glances at that treacherous railing.
“Kathie,” I said urgently, “we’ve got to pray for that boy. I have a bad feeling about this.”
And so we did, right there at the café table. We prayed that God would help this young man deal with whatever was troubling him, and that his life be spared.
We finished our sodas and headed for the glass elevator to find our families who were wandering around the mall. After meeting up with them, we all left by the mall’s main entrance.
As we were stepping off the sidewalk into the sprawling parking lot, for some reason, I happened to glance back at the doors we had just come through.
There by the door stood Goth Boy. And here’s the kicker.
He was wiping the ghostly makeup off his face!
Does God hear and answer our prayers? Absolutely! And that summer’s day, He gave me a glimpse of an answer.
“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light” (2 Samuel 22:29).