He Received Life

"I then, as Paul - an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus - I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me." Philemon 9-11

 

    I remember the day that I received word that a young friend had "received life." Now in the Christian context you might assume that he has received Christ into his life; that he has received the promise of eternal life. I wish that I could say that this is so. He "received life" in the worldly context. He was sentenced to life in prison, without parole.  When I heard the sentence he had received, in grief, I voiced it aloud:

                      "HE RECEIVED LIFE."

    There is hope in those words. It is my hope that this sentence in this world is the sign to me that he has received life eternal, even though he may not realize it, yet. I pray for him often. I pray that we would be one in Christ; that he would enter into the Body of Christ. It is painful for me to think of one so young living behind bars for another 50 or 60 years. But, it is reality; a hard reality;  but, one that may be the very opportunity for him to "receive life."  This friend of mine received the consequences that were due him in this life, yet, he still has the opportunity for freedom; a freedom that is found only in Christ; for all eternity.

    We read in Philemon, Paul who is in prison has converted a young man. Paul spent a good portion of his ministry behind bars. Although scripture has no record of how many received the truth of Christ through the Word spoken by Paul, I am sure there were quite a few. I guess you could say he was called to prison ministry, but not in the way most of us view prison ministry. He was there, living it. One on one, he experienced the pain and suffering of those in prison with him. Because he suffered the same pain; he understood and others listened and others received life.

    There is a prison that is worse than any earthly prison surrounded by bars and barbed wire. That is our bondage to sin; our bondage to the desires and ways of this world; our desires to be served rather than serve in the love of Christ. This prison is harder for us to recognize and so we may never experience the desire to be free from this prison.

   Jesus said that the truth would set us free. (John 8:32) However, for those of us who may be bound in a prison of worldly comforts; of self-serving desires and pursuits, it can be really hard to see or hear the truth (often preferring not to see the truth, about our need for forgiveness, so we don't ask), remaining in bondage to sin.

    As we consider our own freedom, let us ask God to reveal to us whether we are truly free. Let us pray first for salvation; for freedom in Christ. Let us pray for one another, in love, that forgiveness in Christ be received by all God's children who find themselves in prison: those in correctional facilities and those chained to the desires of this world. Let us also pray a prayer of Thanksgiving for our Prison Chaplains and all who work in the Prison Ministry for bringing the Light of Christ into such dark lives.

God's Peace - Pr. J