“Instead of turning away from God, draw nearer to Him." ~ Hebrews 3:12
Whether you believe prison exists
as a deterrent, a place for penitence, or an avenue to recalibrate a broken
moral compass, most everyone would agree on one thing: it stinks. There’s something about unmeasurable time
that is a torture to mind, body and soul.
Perhaps it's because there’s no love there, no hugs or kind smiles,
no-one to tell you everything will be okay.
Worse yet, a social faux pas could result in getting the business end of
a sharpened toothbrush.
Shockingly, however, some on the
outside feel compelled to scramble over the walls and willingly leave freedom
behind.
One such Florida inmate was sentenced to 15 years on a
manslaughter charge for shooting an unarmed 19-year-old. He became a free man, however, after accepting
a plea deal for eight months’ probation in exchange for his guilty concession.
After enjoying only 3 days of fresh air, he begged guards to
lock him up again fearing the victim’s family members might retaliate against
him. When he was turned down and told to
file a police report, the former inmate scaled a 12-foot fence and broke back
into jail.
Attempting to scale a second one topped with razor-sharp
wire, he fell and suffered severe lacerations.
Guards escorted him to a local hospital for treatment.
In an ironic twist, a Florida judge sentenced Sylvester
Jiles for trespassing on jail property and resisting an officer. He’ll serve the remainder of his 15-year
manslaughter sentence in prison.
Jiles was led out of the courtroom after breaking into an angry,
profanity-laced tirade. His outburst was
in stark contrast to letters he penned to the judge earlier, claiming he’d
found God and wanted to move to Georgia to start anew and set a positive
example for his children.
Have you ever watched someone profess their faith in Christ,
followed by dramatic lifestyle improvements? It’s exciting to see such newfound joy. But when a difficult trial hits, their faith shatters.
The book of Hebrews reminds us
that we should think again before walking away from Jesus. Doing so is tantamount to reentering prison. To leave Jesus is to go back to a life of condemnation,
slavery to sin, and the fear of death.
Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, the exact
representation of His being. The
covenant He brings is full of love, redemption and forgiveness. It would be foolish to turn your back on such
a great salvation and Savior.
Difficulties come in all shapes
and sizes. Sometimes it isn’t a drastic
tragedy, but the busy chaos of managing life. So, turn toward, rather than away from, the light
of Christ in all circumstances.
Jesus, I need you. I’m weary and my burdens
are great. I’m not sure how much more I
can bear. Will You help carry these
burdens for a while? I need your rest
for my soul, Your comfort for my heart. Amen
