Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin my day in prayer to allow you to raise me up on wings like an eagle so I can soar with you throughout my coming day…
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)
Years ago I was serving on a Kairos prison ministry team sitting at a table inside St. Clair prison talking with an inmate. The inmate shared with me this story. He and a friend were smoking crack in the living room of his small house. His 5 year old son was sleeping in the back bedroom. They ran out of crack and beer, so he and his friend left to go get more. While they were gone, his son got up and went into the living room. He found the small lighter/torch they were using to smoke the crack. His son started fires in the house, and then got scared and ran into his room and hid under the covers of his bed. The inmate and his friend returned an hour or so later and the house was consumed with flames. As he pulled in he ran to the house and heard his son coughing and calling out “Daddy! Daddy help me!” As he ran around the house trying to get in, the roof fell in from the fire and his son was killed, For the 6 years he had been in prison he had been living in his own hell. He could not get the sound of his son calling out “ Daddy, Daddy help me!” from echoing in his head. He could not forgive himself, turned to using drugs to quiet his son’s voice and engaged in destructive behaviors,
The inmate had just listened to another team member give a talk on forgiveness. With tears in his eyes he said there is no way God could forgive me for what I have done. In that one on one conversation with him, I was able being led by the Holy Spirit to share with him the gospel of grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ available to him. With hugs and tears from both of us, he embraced the Gospel, and finally received the forgiveness for his actions. That night for the first time since the fire he slept through the night, and a couple weeks later he was baptized, enrolled and went through the drug treatment program in the prison, and became freer in prison than he has ever been.
Tomorrow my wife Nancy and I will leave early in the morning to drive down to Tutwiler prison and serve an the Kairos team going into the prison for Thursday -Sunday. Tutwiler is a women’s prison, so my wife will be going into the prison with the inside team those 4 days sharing the Gospel of Grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ with women incarcerated in the prison. I will be serving on the outside team, cooking 120+ meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the inmates, team and correction officers attending the weekend, and praying over the inmates and team.
Nancy and I are going into an actual prison, however there are people all around you; co-workers, classmates, neighbors, the person next to you in line at a store, who are suffering in “prisons” of addictions, abuse, depression, unforgiveness, financial struggles, that need to hear the Gospel of grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ that you can share with them and speak over them.
Because of serving on the Kairos team I will not be able to post a reflection tomorrow and Friday mornings. I ask you to pray for team going into the prison, and especially for the women inmates that they hear and receive the Gospel that will be shared with them.
My family, I pray you may hear and receive these word from the prophet Isaiah:
“The spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me,
because the LORD has chosen me.
He has commissioned me to encourage the poor,
to help the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,” (Isaiah 61:1)
And then walk out your door and share the Gospel of the grace, forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ with those you encounter today, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
Please Partner With Me!
Help Me Share The Gospel and Make Disciples!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You!!
One of my passions is helping churches or small groups understand and embrace their call to be disciples of Jesus in their community.. I offer and lead discipleship trainings in person and on-line. If you are interested I would love to talk to you bout it. Email me at garyl@onedirection.community.
