Perspective in Prison
After some busy days and weeks, it was nice to have a “free” day. I was able to finally get to the fitness center after several weeks of absence and get a little yard work done. I am pleased to continue to hear positive comments about yesterday’s National Day of Prayer Breakfast. It was a delight to have Dick Foth as our speaker and State Senator Kevin Lundberg lead the pledge and sing the National Anthem.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel…And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Philippians 1:12,14
Challenges and trials are an opportunity for personal growth and often unexpected outcomes. My daily (now almost daily) writing is something that I would not have planned and have initiated without the impetus created by Debbie’s daily CaringBridge entries while I was in the hospital those many months of 2013. Now as we approach the fourth year of life after my health crisis, I find myself in the routine of sharing some random thoughts on scripture that flow out of my daily Bible reading and life experiences.
As Paul was in a prison in Rome (not a pleasant experience by far), he was able to use that time to write several letters to churches and individual. A total of seven “letters” (now books of the Bible) are referred to as “Paul’s prison epistles.”
As Paul writes to the Church in Philippi, it interestingly has a theme of “joy.” That in itself seems to be a disconnect given his environment and circumstances. In the early verses he wants the believers to know that already some “good” has taken place out the “bad” circumstances he is in.
The bottom line is that Paul’s prison experience in Rome has served to advance the gospel. For Paul that is the greatest outcome that he could have hoped for. Paul explains, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will….whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:15,18 ESV)
Paul states that the gospel was advancing because, “…it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.” (Philippians 1:13 ESV) So the word was getting out that this guy in prison was there not because of murder or theft or some notorious crime, but because he was so bold as to declare the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The other unexpected was that “…most of the brothers….are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” That doesn’t make sense, does it? It would seem the opposite would be true. But we see in the Bible and historically that trying to put “a lid” on the gospel is like throwing gas on a fire or like, breaking a thermometer and smashing the mercy. It just spreads!
We see that in the Book of Acts. Stephen was killed, Saul was then persecuting with zeal all believers he could find; but we read, “Now those who were scattered [from Jerusalem] went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4 ESV) We see in our time that when believers were persecuted in China, that an underground church continued and multiplied more than ever.
We can be confident that “God can bring good, even out of the worst situations.” I like what my fellow City Councilmember, Ray Martinez, said this past week, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.”
Prayer for today…. Lord in the midst of the challenges of life that would “imprison” us, allow us to see how You are working and the good that is coming to us and through our circumstances.