"My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours." 5:13 - 15
He is all you need. You don't have to wait for eternal life because it begins the moment you chose to believe. You don't have to work for it because it is his gift to you. You don't have to worry about it because you have been given a spirit of freedom.
Some people HOPE they will receive eternal life. John assures us that we can KNOW we have it.
For the last two years we (me along with some other amazing people) have been going to the Youth Offender Unit at the Central MS Correctional Facility. The unit was started in 2012, separate from the other inmates at the facility and has its own staff and school. It can house up to 42 inmates, young men ages 15 - 19 that have been convicted of an adult felony, but are considered "vulnerable" and not appropriate to be placed in the main population of the prison.
The first Sunday of every month we go out and have a little service with them - we meet in a very small board room, sit around a table, and just have church. Once a week we go to the unit where they have a school and have Bible class. We have been invited to take part in special things too, like the GED graduation ceremonies, cook outs they have had, school plays they have put on, and earlier this year we had a 3 day revival with them.
These are young men that wear striped pants with the word "convict" on the back of their shirt. They have been charged, convicted, and sentenced with heavy crimes - armed robbery, sexual assault, drug possession/selling, and murder. Some have short sentences, some have long sentences, some have life sentences. These are the young men you are seeing on tv, in the news, reading about in the paper. And they are our boys, and they are amazing.
They are hurting young men. So much brokenness, so much anger, so much abandonment....longing to be loved, accepted, valued. They are smart and talented, funny and interesting, and worthy of the love of Jesus.
Yesterday was probably the best Easter I have ever had - even better than seeing the sun rise over the Grand Canyon on Easter morning. We had our service with the boys, and were given favor to take them cookies, they love sweets! The Lord met us there in that little room, around that little table, on a Sunday morning in the middle of a prison. They were weeping, broken over their sin, tears streaming down their faces, crying out to Jesus, asking for that love they long for. One of the boys said "Mr. B, what do I got to do to get saved?"
I don't know how your church service was yesterday, but sitting with these boys who were full of sugar from cookies, seeing the Lord reaching down and saving them, giving them eternal life on the spot, freeing them from a life of sin.....I don't know what can be any better than that!
The hardest part about loving on them, is when they get moved to another facility, and we don't get to see them again. We do our best to stay in contact with them via letters, but we sure do miss them when they are not there. But, we hold on to the hope that those who have believed, eternal life in Jesus keeps them safe. What great joy they bring to me and my life. When you see someone walk in the freedom and love of Jesus, THAT is what Easter is about.
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