The Parting: A Devil Has Entered Your House

Jack wanted whatever help he could get and, though some things were painful to bring up, he considered each therapy session essential to his existence.  Like an athlete pushing through the pain, Jack viewed each pang a moment of triumph.  He would not cower in fear from the memories that haunted him.  He would overcome them and be stronger. 

He started visiting with JoJo.  By this time, JoJo was heavily into drugs and alcohol but Jack was determined to help his friend.  It bothered Jack that JoJo lacked the family support that he himself had.  Therefore, he worked harder to support his friend.  As much as he tried, it seemed there was an insurmountable barrier behind which JoJo was hidden. 

Jack discussed the matter with his mother and the two of them prayed for JoJo.  He also mentioned the matter with Pastor Bill during one of their sessions.  Pastor Bill mentioned that he had counseled with many families who have a loved one addicted to drugs or alcohol.  He stated how hard it is to get them to understand what they are doing to themselves.  He said, “There is a song by Randy Stonehill that reminds me of people who are trying to reach someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol.  I don’t know if that is really the theme of the song but that is what I felt the very first time I heard it.  We are helpless to reach them because it seems they are controlled by something that we can’t eliminate.  There is a line in the song that goes “A devil has entered your house.  He devours your days but his spell will be broken if you turn from his gaze.’  All we can do is love them and continue trying to reach them.  Ultimately, God has to change their heart.  We must pray for Him to move in your friend’s heart.”

Jack inquired about the song and learned it was titled “Evangeline.”  As he got into his car, he searched for on iTunes and downloaded it to his iPhone.  Once it finished downloading, he started listening to it.  It was a mournful song and it instantly tugged at Jacks heart.  While he felt he was now on the other side of the wall, he intimately remembered how it felt to be in the dark fringes.  Nevertheless, he felt the helplessness the writer expressed in this song and he wept as he drove home.  He listened to the song 3 times as he drove.  The song went

I can touch you but I can't reach you

I can love you but I can't save you

Crushed beneath some unseen weight

Locked behind some prison gate

I pound on these walls with my bleeding hands

And long to pull you from sinking sand

Link by link grows the chain of fear

a necklace of thorns watered by your tears

Even now one hope remains

One Holy Fire to quench the rain

I pray that your heart will be warmed by the dawn

And these shadows will be gone

A devil has entered your house

He devours your days

But his spell will be broken

If you run from his gaze

Evangeline

Evangeline

Is my voice growing faint in the gathering haze

Has your path been obscured in this dark twisting maze

we all bare the crimson scar

But that's not all of what you are

I wish I could turn this terrible tide

And call the angels to your side

Evangeline

Come back to me

Come back to me

Come back to me

Evangeline

The sky is blue

Your eyes are too

But they don't see

In this song, Jack felt the helplessness of someone who had a loved one suffering from addiction.  Though he himself never had an addiction, he wondered if this was how his mom and Charlotte felt after he returned from Afghanistan.  He remembered them and others speaking to him but it was as if he was half asleep and not really hearing or aware of what went on around him.  Somehow, this gave him hope that, maybe, if anyone could reach JoJo, he could.