One-Year-Old Prisoner!

Another precious memory from my years doing jail ministry:

Jose was a prisoner with diabetes I visited nearly every week.  He was housed in the medical section of county jail and came to Christ at the age of 20.  I remember praying with him that day and afterward telling him to remember the date.

I said, “This is the most important day of your life—for all eternity.  Someday, if God were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’  You could say, ‘I don’t deserve heaven, but way back on December 23, 20__ I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. He purchased my salvation on the cross and forgave all my sins.'”

Jose became a model prisoner and an incredible student of the Bible. He diligently completed the weekly Bible study provided by the chaplain’s office. In addition, he began outlining the Bible and would write a summary of every chapter he read. He was faithful to his journaling and weekly would share with me what he’d learned.

One evening I arrived for our weekly Bible study and he announced, “Today is my birthday!”

I said, “What? I thought you turned 21 last month!”

He said, “Last year, two days before Christmas,  you prayed with me when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.  It was the most important day of my life— for all eternity.  Today I’m one-year-old in the Lord.”

•  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here!     2 Corinthians 5:17
• SONG:  DEAR LORD OF LORDS – Words & Music by Kathleen