Ever had a date end abruptly with jail time? Well, that’s how God answered my dear friends prayer…. here’s the events, as seen by me, from the sidelines …

I met my friend, whom we will call Jill, early in the summer a few years back. She was only in town for a few months with job training. But we were friends immediately and we began discussing spiritual matters during our time together. Along this time, a young man in our Christian community noticed Jill and began reaching out to spend time with her.  Jill was the … um … never been kissed type. Sweet and innocent, but fearless in many ways when it comes to experiencing the world and expressing her faith. So we discussed whether or not she should spend time with this guy, whom we will call Rick. I was nervous, because I’m very protective of the precious women in our community, but I also trust the Lord to protect and guide each of us.

So, we prayed together before she went on her first date (ever!). I asked Jill, “what are you asking God for?” and she responded, “I want the Lord to protect me and my heart.” We prayed together for the Lord to do just that: protect her. I encouraged her, blessed her, and sent her out to date!

I had dinner with her the next day…in eager anticipation for the replay of events …

“how did it go?!”

…long pause “well, his car is at my house…. and I think he is in jail, but I’m not sure”

I cannot recall the series of questions that erupted from me after that, but eventually I discovered what happened and we found poor Rick. Who was, in fact, in jail.

They had dinner. It went well, they shared a plate of some mexican food. Then he suggested they go for a walk on a track nearby. So they got in his car to drive to the track.

Then, suddenly, a police car was pulling them over. The cop did not do the normal questions about speed and insurance. No, he asked Rick to step out of the car. As soon as he did, they arrested him! Handcuffed him right there! Before walking him back to the cop car, the officer said “do you release your car to this woman?” and Rick says “sure, that’s fine.” So the officer takes Rick to the cop car, puts him in the back seat, and drives away!!

Leaving poor Jill in the passenger side. Stunned. Alone. And, after absorbing what just happened, ended up driving his car back to her house! What else was she to do? (at this point, I’m amazed she did not call me, but I was out of town and she was respecting my time. But seriously, I would have understood!!)

So I’m sitting there at dinner with her (this being a full 24 hours after the date) and I’m shocked. And she is staring at me in disbelief of what happened. And poor Jill doesn’t know what to do next! So, I call the jail and find out he is there and he had unpaid speeding tickets and they had a warrant out for his arrest (sigh of relief, it was just speeding tickets!).

At this point, I’m laughing uncontrollably. She doesn’t see the humor. “Jill, we prayed for God to protect you!” She still doesn’t see the humor. “Sweetie, God was so protective of you, that he yanked this guy out of the car and threw him in jail!” Now that’s a Fathers love right there!! She still didn’t see the humor.

She had an understandably horrible first date. She never did appreciate the irony the way I did. (I laughed all the way to jail, where we paid Mr. Rick a visit!)

But hopefully she learned that the Father’s love for his children is fierce! For both Rick and Jill! And we need to be careful what we pray for, because God may just answer it! In the most creative, funny, only-He-could-time-that-perfectly kind of way!

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  Song of Solomon 8:6

Here is me, and sweet J, waiting for him to join us across the glass during our jail visit: