"....REMEMBER THE PRISONERS AS THOUGH YOU WERE IN PRISON WITH THEM....." Hebrews 3:3
I was watching a movie called "Dreams". It began with a scene of a young black man being released from prison. As the guard unlocked his cell and he began walking towards his freedom, you could here his buddies yelling and screaming their final goodbyes. An older white prisoner yelled out and asked if he could pray with him (God sees no color). Their hands became one as the prisoner strategically slid his fingers out as far as the small hole would allow, and he began to pray over this young man. He prayed for God to cover and protect him and to keep him from evil. It was a very short, but powerful scene. There was no other information given about the older prisoner since after that scene we didn't see him anymore, so I assumed he was in jail for life, which made that scene even more powerful. I said to myself, "We have forgotten them!" Our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in jail. It doesn't matter if they were Christians when they arrived or if they were set free(you have to let that marinate) during their stay. We have forgotten them! I was so touched to see a man pray for another man who had the privilege that he probably wanted, which was to walk out of those prison gates. But there was also a unique privilege they shared. They were actually both free!
You ask, "how can they both be free when one is on the outside and the other is in chains?". My friend, the scriptures remind us through the Apostle Paul that "..the word of God is not chained"(2Timothy 2:9). the Apostle Paul had been thrown into jail numerous times for the sake of his faith in Jesus Christ though he did nothing wrong. He remembered the word of God could still go forth even in prison walls, whether to encourage those of the household of faith or those who were sheep without a shepherd in spiritual bondage. Even the guards were no exception. So although we all fall short of the Glory of God and his standards at times, and it is not His will for us to suffer as thieves and murderers (1Peter 4:15), there is always an opportunity for the Gospel to go forth and bring freedom to those who are in chains; Especially those who will be released back into a wicked society who waits at the prison gates with all kinds of proposals to entangle them back into bondage.
There is a freedom in the Gospel (the good news of Jesus Christ). Don't forget to tell them the bad news first!(Let me know if you want to hear the bad news!)But this freedom is in the mind and heart that will allow a man or woman who is in prison whether 5 years or for life, to start over. The word of God is not chained! We all know someone who is in prison. Whether it is a loved one who has made bad decisions in the past, a loved one who has been wrongfully convicted, or a loved one who is being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ(visit VoiceoftheMartyrs.com or Vom.com)and they need us. Send a letter, card or visit them. Most of all pray for them.
The word of God is not chained so lets flood those prison walls!!
