Skip to main content

Prisoner in Peace

chainedI therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk ... in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4.1-3)

Prison and peace don’t go together. I have been to prison various times through the years though, thank the Lord, I have never been incarcerated. However, on my visits I never sensed peace. There always seems to be tension, sinister undertones and accusing glances. Every conversation and action is observed by armed guards. The slightest movements or gestures can bring a reprimand. A prison’s goal is to separate the troublemaker from peace-loving citizens.

In all of my prison visits I never once desired to go back. I knew that I needed to for the solace of the one I visited. However, those visits were more of a downer than a comfort for me. I know, “It’s not about me!” But you get my point.

Paul’s words in Ephesians 4.1-3 are incredibly ironic. There are no accusing words, no grumbling complaints against the system and no pleas for clemency. Prisoner Paul places his detention completely within God’s will. He sees his lack of freedom as God’s problem and not his as he calls for good conduct among the brethren. The felon encourages the “free” to exhibit no less than six Christlike qualities. Notice them. He says “be:

humble,
gentle,
patient,
loving,
tolerant,
unified

How were the believers supposed to accomplish these qualities? By recognizing their bondage. Notice the last phrase of verse 3, keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul was bound by an iron shackle whether to a stone wall, wooden stake or Roman soldier. Bonds were very familiar to him. Bonds bind, hurt sometimes and limit personal freedoms.

Paul used his bonds as an example of how the believers were to be bound spiritually. That spiritual bond would limit their personalities too. Being, humble, gentle, patient, loving, tolerant and unified are restricting qualities. They crimp our style. But they are a part of God’s will. There must be no complaining nor clemency sought. Each believer, whether in Paul’s day or in ours, is to accept our Spirit given bonds. When we do peace reigns.

So, my friend look around you today and see the incarcerated. Practice being a model prisoner. Whether behind prison walls or on the other side of the assembly line those bound by sin are all around you. You hold the key to their new cell. The warden is the Holy Spirit and no one ever wants out of His detention center. So... give em the key!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Caught up to Paradise - 2 Corinthians 12

Residing in Michigan for over half my life, I had heard about Paradise. Because Paradise is a small town in the Upper Peninsula, you may have never visited there in your life, but you knew it existed. It was WAY up there next to Tahquamenon Falls and nothing else. Where's Tahquamenon Falls? Next to Paradise and nothing else. It's a long way from home.  Why all of the talk about Paradise? Because Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians 12. There was this guy who had been caught up to Paradise. Not in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but into the REAL Paradise. While there, he'd heard things that he was unable to repeat. What on earth was this? Who was this guy? Here's what was going on. Paul defended his position of Apostleship in chapter eleven and gave the Corinthians an idea of what Apostleship looked like in chapter twelve. It came with great wonders, like seeing or instead hearing unimaginable things. But, too, that position came with a terrible cost. God gave Paul a &q
Post a Comment
Read more

What to get God for Christmas

Jesus left perfect surroundings, relationships and glory to be born into squalor. He was homeless before birth. His father was a carpenter in a culture where carpentry was a despised trade. His, mother though young and giving birth to her firstborn, had no attendant nurses, helpers or friends. Rather than a pristine hospital, birth was given in the filthy stench of a stable. Romantic? Hardly. This sacrifice brought a life of hardship. Why? Why this odd story? Obedience. God's gift to humanity was His son. Jesus' gift was obedience to the Father. He paid the greatest price. Not because we are special but because he loves His Father. His gift was the perfect gift. Our Father wants obedience for Christmas and every other day for that matter. In Brazil Christmas is becoming commercialized. A phenomenon familiar for years in the United States tickles a growing economy. There is little time for meditation on God's Gift. There are no chestnuts roasting or Jack Frost nippin
Post a Comment
Read more

Stop Trusting

Isaiah 2:22 says Isaiah 2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? The Prophet is saying that we shouldn't put our trust in humankind because they are so finite. They are not like God, who is infinite. People are fickle. They change their minds. They love you and then hate you in moments.  God invites us to trust him completely with everything that we have. He doesn't show himself to us physically or as a spirit. He demands that we have faith. However, he also gives us the faith to trust him.  The universe shouts "Creator!" and yet we often ignore the proclamation. This ignorance does not make God's creation any less a physical demonstration of his grandeur. God's boundless being becomes more amazing in his presence within us. How can the infinite God dwell in the mortals he commands us not to trust?  Jesus said, "with man it is impossible but with God, all things are possible." 
Post a Comment
Read more