Lamenting in the New Year

I’ve noticed that sometimes God has a peculiar sense of humor. As I was preparing for tonight’s study I was trying to think of happy, encouraging scriptures. “Look at Lamentations”, said a still small voice. “A fragment of underdone potato”, I thought to myself. An old scripture chorus kept running through my head:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never some to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness O Lord.
Great is Thy faithfulness!

 

Hmm, I thought to myself, I wonder where that is found in the Bible. A quick Google search later:

Lamentations 3:22-23 (RSV)

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,^[a]
his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
great is thy faithfulness.

So tonight’s study was from everyone’s favorite feel-good book of the Bible — Lamentations.

The first guy to enter the room was one of the regulars who has been pretty consistent in growing his faith and encouraging others. In the few moments before anyone else entered the room he indicated that it had been a pretty tough week. A petition of his that had gone to a higher court had been rejected. That met his case was going to trial soon. This was scary and discouraging for him and has shaken his faith since he is potentially looking at a long sentence.

As the other guys entered the room they, likewise, seemed rather subdued. Apparently “in jail” was not high on their list of places they’d like to be on New Year’s Eve.

There were 11 guys from the upper tier of maximum security at tonight’s Bible study.

We talked a bit about what they had done on previous New Years. “Blacked out” was a common theme. I talked about a New Years a while back at a prison in the Midwest. The cell block in this 1800s era prison was 3 stories tall with bars rather than walls that faced the walkway. Some of the guys in different cells on the top floor decided it would be fun to light rolls of toilet paper on fire and toss them down to the ground floor at the stroke of midnight. One of the problems with their plan was that the stream of toilet paper led back up to each cell. This made it very easy for the guards to identify who threw the flaming streamers. So all of the inmates involved ended up spending the first 60 days of the new year in the SHU (special housing unit, a.k.a solitary confinement).

They guys agreed that would be a poor way to start out the new year.

I gave the men some background on Lamentations. They were unfamiliar with the word “lament”. For context I said it was that really sad feeling when someone you car about dies, or something really bad happens to your family or friends. Lamentations was written by Jeremiah, who spent some time in prison (Jer. 20:2, Jer. 37:15). He had also seen bad things happen to people he cared about.

In chapter 3 of Lamentations he starts out being pretty angry with God. I actually encouraged the guys to read the whole chapter when they got back to their cells since Jeremiah writes about a lot of the feelings that they have experienced.

We read through our first scripture:

Lamentations 3:21-26 (NKJV)

²¹ This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.

I asked what they thought about, what were the things they recalled while waiting in their cells: often it is of things that they regret. I asked about things that gave them hope or encouragement: family, relationships they value, God’s love.

Several of the men shared about how prayer and scripture study has been a source of encouragement for them. This has been especially helpful when they have felt angry or discouraged.

Some of the men talked about dealing with anger. As humans our tendency to try and control things is to hang onto them more tightly. But these men are learning that hanging on more tightly to the thoughts that make them angry does not give them more control. Instead when they let go of the things that make them angry. Instead of holding onto the anger they instead recall the things that give them hope and encouragement.

New Years is all about endings and beginnings. Yet God seems to be able to provide mercies that are continuous and never ending, yet always new.

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.

These men spend a lot of time waiting. I asked if “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him” meant that you have to wait for God to be good to you. There was some discussion. I offered that a sign of a deeper relationship is when you can just hang out together.

We live in a culture that emphasizes the things people do. We are not comfortable just “being”. Dallas Willard made the following comment:

“The command is “Do no work.” Just make space. Attend to what is around you. Learn that you don’t have to DO to BE. Accept the grace of doing nothing. Stay with it until you stop jerking and squirming.” 

Waiting means coming to grips with the concept that we are created in God’s image, that each of us has value. It means looking around the room and seeing each other as someone created in God’s image, thinking of family members as people created in God’s image, and for those who are willing, to even see the COs (correctional officers) as people created in God’s image. (Some of the guys aren’t ready for that last one.)

Lamentations 3:55-57 (NKJV)

⁵⁵ I called on Your name, O Lord,
From the lowest pit.
⁵⁶ You have heard my voice:
“Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
⁵⁷ You drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, “Do not fear!”

Sighing

Each man can vividly recall that, after all the processing and they were finally in their cell and the door closed, they let out a sigh. They remember that. Each of us can likewise recall various times we have let out a deep sigh.

Fear

Another thing we observed is that a lot of anger traces back to fear. We are afraid of losing something we value, we are afraid of being disrespected, we are afraid of being shamed.

Making Everything New

I wanted to leave them with a final scripture that I find comforting.

Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV)

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’^[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Happy New Year from maximum security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Communion Wafers and Life Savers

Note: For more background on serving communion in the jail please read this blog entry: Communion In The Max

Early in the morning on Christmas Eve about 25 of us gathered to offer communion to people in the jail. Over 255 inmates received communion that morning.

In some sections where it is allowed the volunteers led a 20 minute service with readings and songs. In other units the volunteers went from cell to cell offering communion. Finally in units such as maximum security where it is more restricted communion was served to one man at a time through a 3 inch by 3 inch slot in a 2 inch thick metal door of the cell block.

The gentleman who had led Bible studies in the maximum security unit before me was there to help serve. He had also invited two others that I knew from church who had never participated in anything like this before. So there were four of us here to serve the guys in the three units of maximum security.

The rules of the institution only allow two people at the outside of the door to the unit, so two of us went to unit while the other two went to a different unit.

The man who had previously led Bible studied relayed the following (I have changed names to protect privacy):

As I mentioned yesterday after the communion service, I had the rare opportunity to meet one of the guys that used to come to bible study. 

Luis started coming to the study early on when I was assigned to that section. A very tough looking chap, young, tall and burly with tattoos all over his neck and arms, and a long braid of hair going half way down his back. When he started attending the studies, he generally sat in the back and would occasionally chime into the conversation with confrontational questions. One could tell he was struggling with bitter thoughts regarding life, faith and God. However, as time progressed and he continued coming to the study, I saw how God began to soften his heart. His questions went from confrontational to candid, with a real interest in wanting to know more about Christ’s redeeming power, the forgiveness of sins, and God’s plan for his life.

Unfortunately, after a few months he stopped coming, and I never saw him again… until today.

As we walked into the unit to serve communion, he was being escorted out of his cell, shackles on his ankles and hands connected by a long chain. He was led right to the gate where we were standing with our communion elements, while the guards arranged his transfer out. The definition of a divine appointment, we were both standing a couple of feet from each other, separated by a gate. His face brightened as he saw us and we said hi. We offered him communion and prayer, which he gladly accepted… and that was it. He was escorted out and we moved on to serve the rest of the inmates in the section.

I prayed for him throughout the rest of the day, wishing I had said more or done more. But I know that even that fleeting act of taking communion and receiving prayer was used powerfully by God. 

Please keep him in your thoughts. Pray that God continues to minister to him, and His mercy will always be near.  

Meanwhile I was serving communion along with one of the other guys who had never done this before. The structure is very simple. The guard announces that anyone who wishes communion should turn on their light to signal that they wish to participate. For one tier the guard would let one person out at a time. The man would come to the door. I’d explain that I’ll dip the wafer in the juice and hand it to him through the door slot. I’d ask him his first name. I would use his name as I offered the elements. I’d then pray for him by name. Using a man’s first name makes a powerful impact in a place where they are otherwise referred to only by a last name or and ID number.

Over the past year I’ve gotten to know some of these men and can pray more specifically for them. After receiving communion the man would return to his cell. At that point the next person would come.

For whatever reason the guard let all of the guys from the other tier out at the same time so there was actually a bit of fellowship as they waited in line to receive the elements.

One of the things I have come to notice happens after we have finished praying and the man looks at me through the glass. We see each other as human, as people deeply needing God’s grace, as individuals known by God.

At the end of serving I’ll look down at my hand which is now streaked with stains from the juice. It becomes a visual reminder:

Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Watching for those in pain

One of the things we look for as we serve is for those men who appear to be having a particularly difficult time. This can literally save someone’s life. There is a rise in attempted suicides at this time of year.

In maximum security there is a lot of time where a man is alone with his thoughts. Many guys refer to this as serving “hard time” because the mind can sometimes be the cruelest most unrelenting jailer. As we were discussing afterwards two of the volunteers recalled one man who seemed to be having a hard time. They remembered his cell number. We passed that information on to the head chaplain who consulted with the mental health officer to get the man the support he needed.

1 Peter 1:18-21 The Message

^18-21 Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

Reflections from another volunteer

Several years ago I attended a workshop presented by the Main Jail Chaplain on the topic of opportunities to serve at the Jail. The chaplain invited attendees to participate in helping to serve Communion at the Jail during Holy Week and on Christmas Eve. I felt called to do that, that it’s a sacred privilege, and have participated as often possible since.

On Christmas Eve day one could think of any number of things to be doing vs. going to the Main Jail to participate in serving Communion. On the other hand, what could be more meaningful on the eve of the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus?

The volunteers meet at 0700, since the inmates will already have had breakfast and the “serving” needs to happen before programming begins. I was ever so grateful to have been given a ride downtown by another volunteer, and especially after our having waited in opposite ends of the park ‘n ride lot for one another…

Once at the Jail, and in the area outside the Chaplain’s office, volunteers are invited to introduce themselves and tell the group which church they represent. Then, before we set out, we ourselves are served Communion. Each time I’ve participated, I’ve been with a different team, and I’ve appreciated each experience. This time I was with three others, one a pastor who is a weekly volunteer and also active in the Jail Re-Entry program, a woman who will complete her M.Div. program in the Spring, and a Spanish-speaking man who is a regular volunteer. I felt that I was in good company as we set out to serve gang members exclusively.

At first we went to various cells where those wishing to be served would put on their outside light. I was glad that we could meet face-to-face with the guys. I served mostly with Jose (not his actual name) who spoke in Spanish. Even though I didn’t know the actual words he said as he held the cup of grape juice, and I dipped the wafer in it before offering it to each person, remembering the English words, I got the gist.

Almost without exception, the guys welcomed having prayer offered for them and/or their loved ones. I could sense the sadness of one guy who asked for prayer for his homeless family who was staying with a grandmother at that time. And perhaps at least twice, when we went to a cell housing two guys, one of which had expressed a desire to receive Communion, after the second guy watched the process, he too, stepped forward to receive.

On one unit at the Jail on 12/14 morning, one CO (corrections officer) told our team that at least two staff had “called in sick”, and they were working with a “skeleton crew”, so-to-speak; nevertheless, he seemed to take “it all” in stride.

In one location we were able to gather a group of six or so guys in a room where we had about a 20 minute service, including some Christmas carols; in another and larger area we had a similar service, though not everyone participated. The guys seemed to be somewhat attentive, in any case…

As we parted each of the guys thanked us and shook our hands. We all wished one another a “Merry Christmas”. Realizing that there are those inmates who never get visitors and others who seldom do, having been able to share the Light of God’s love on this special day was a good feeling.

And Another Volunteer’s Observations

We went into the old part of the jail. This part of the jail has dorms of different sizes, and the paint is old, the lighting is dark, and the dorms are a little crowded, and many of the men were still asleep.

I refer to them as men and not as inmates, nor prisoners, because we are all much more than our current circumstances.

As we went around, the sheriff’s deputies would announce, “Communion! Come to the gate if you want communion!”  Sometimes no one would come.

Some of dorms housed 30 people, and sometimes only two.  Sometimes a dorm had only one person in it.

There were a handful of cells for individuals.  Two of them had no light, and the glass and covering was so thick that I could not see who was inside.  But the small box in the door opened, and we handed the sacraments, and they took it in their hands.

At one of the dorms, a man came to the gate, with his shirt off and gang tattoos, and he knelt down at the door and opened his mouth at the opening at the gate.  I knew that I could not put it in his mouth, but my first thought was if I did, would he bite me?

My second thought was that he was kneeling down in maximum security, opening his mouth at the gate for the sacraments. At this moment, I knew that this is where I needed to be on this Christmas.  I put the wafer dipped in grape juice in his hands, according to jail rules.  He thanked me, and said Merry Christmas.

In the middle of the jail, and in a high security area, a man incarcerated with other men who he probably did not trust, knelt down, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth, with a guard standing next to me. Everyone is welcome at the table.

This was a Christmas that I won’t ever forget.

 

Taking a Different Path Home

First a follow-up on the note I received last week. (see Pregnant, Poor, Squalid) The man did receive the help he needed. I have also asked for and received additional coaching on how to best handle this type of situation.

Even though I’ve been involved in Prison and Jail ministry for 16 years, my actual hours of experience is still fairly low. Figuring my time at 2 hours per week, and 50 weeks out of the year, that is 100 hours of experience per year. So over the past 16 years it’s about 1600 hours. That is less that one year at a full time job. A full time chaplain will get more experience in a month than I get in a year.

This means I need to ensure that I am teachable and open to instruction and correction.

Now for the update on tonight’s study.

There were 10 guys from the upper tier of the maximum security unit at Thursday night’s Bible Study. Only one or two were unfamiliar to me. Some of the regulars have been there since before I started a year ago.

We went around and said our first names. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is to the men. For an hour a week they are known, not by their ID number or their last name, but by their first name.

We talked about examples of coming late to a party. I once got lost on the way to a party and finally arrived at the house just as the last guests were leaving for the night.

In the Midwest punctuality is very important. However, here on the west coast it seems that, if an event is scheduled to start at 7pm, it means that at 7pm you start getting showered and changed and eventually arrive at the event. Traffic can make you even later. There are different time perceptions for different cultures.

Tonight’s scripture was:

Matthew 2:1-12

Wise Men from the East

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”^[a]

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

In there own words, some men came looking for a king who was recently born. They went to the palace of King Herod, but Herod didn’t know anything about it. They brought in some experts who told the men to go to Bethlehem. They used a star to fine tune the location and found Mary and Jesus in a house. They gave some gifts and then went home after they had a strange dream.

We know the men came from the east, but we don’t know how far east: Syria, India, China. It may have taken some time for them to arrive. They weren’t there when Jesus was in the manger. They were late to the party. Jesus may have been 2 years old by this time. We talked about the attributes of a 2 year old. None of them seemed very “kingly”.

I gave them some background on Kind Herod. From Barclay’s commentary:

He was almost insanely suspicious. He had always been suspicious, and the older he became the more suspicious he grew, until, in his old age, he was, as someone said, “a murderous old man.” If he suspected anyone as a rival to his power, that person was promptly eliminated. He murdered his wife Mariamne and her mother Alexandra. His eldest son, Antipater, and two other sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, were all assassinated by him. Augustus, the Roman Emperor, had said, bitterly, that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than Herod’s son.

It turns out this resonated with the men. Here was something remarkably similar to their gang culture: paranoid leaders that react violently and capriciously to hold onto their power; gang members using guile and violence to improve their standing within the organization.

Many of the guys could relate to the story I told of another inmate who was afraid of his upcoming release because he had instructions to go attack the family of another man who was trying to leave the gang.

They agreed that it takes a lot of courage to leave the gang and to break the cycle of violence.

One man said, “It takes a lot of courage, but you have to do what’s right.”

The remarkable thing about his statement is that a year ago this same man appeared to be the shot caller for one of the gangs. He was the one who was giving instructions to other gang members via hand signals during the Bible Study. (see Gang Signs and Wonders)

Now he could just be playing me, but it seems like I’ve seen a real change in him over the past year. That hard edge seems to have dissipated. He has asked good, thoughtful questions at some of the studies, and has seemed genuinely interested in changing. He recognizes that changing is not without cost to him or even his family.

In verse 11 some of the men noticed that Joseph was not there. They wondered if he had abandoned Mary and Jesus. Other men in the group recalled that Joseph is mentioned when Jesus is 12. Their theory was that Joseph was at work trying to support the family when the wise men came.

We looked at the gifts:

…they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh

I explained that gold was a gift given to royalty and acknowledged Jesus as King.

Frankincense was used by priests so this gift acknowledged Jesus as our great high priest. I said that in an ancient language the word for priest literally meant “bridge builder”. Jesus builds the bridge between us and God.

Myrrh was used in burial rituals. It would be similar to giving a bottle of embalming fluid – which seems really creepy. Myrrh was a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh: The King and bridge-builder priest whose death and resurrection brings God’s grace and restoration.

But none of these gifts are suitable for a two year old. There value was not recognized until later.

I asked the men to give themselves a Christmas present this year – to think back over their lives and, rather than focusing on the pain and evil that they have experienced, instead to ask God to show them the times when they were shown kindness, when they were loved unconditionally even if just for a moment, to think back on the people that showed them that they were capable and worthwhile. Ask God to show them the gifts that they were given, but may not have recognized at the time.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

I asked them to consider what was God’s dream for them, and how would that dream allow them to go home a different way. A. R. Bernard said, “Without a vision for your future, you will always live in your past.” We talked at length about what is God’s vision for their future, and how will that cause them to return home a different way.

Pregnant, Poor, Squalid

There were 11 guys from the upper tier of the maximum security unit at tonight’s Bible study. It has probably been two months since I last met with the upper tier. I also had another volunteer tonight to help out for which I am grateful.

Before we got started one of the COs handed me a note from an inmate, addressed to the chaplain, and was written on a piece of cardboard. This is highly unusual. I won’t discuss the contents of the note but I did ask the COs to contact mental health services to have them check on this man. Please pray for him.

Back to our study…

Everyone said his name. One of the guys opened us in prayer and we sang Amazing Grace.

I asked what did anyone know about the Christmas Story. A few of the guys mentioned the Red Ryder BB gun referring to the 1983 film A Christmas Story. Others knew the story of the Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

A few of the guys knew the story of Jesus born in a manger. Only one man knew what a manger was.

This is the first time I’ve repeated a study. I used this same section exactly one year ago. We looked at Luke 2 tonight. I broke it up into two sections.

Luke 2:1-7

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

I asked them to tell me what they understood of the story in their own words. They understood what a census was because they remember a census taker coming to the door. They wanted to know if Syria was the same as it is today.

They understood that Mary was pregnant and that she and Joseph were engaged but not married. Some of the guys could definitely relate to that situation. One of the guys said he got married about a month and a half before his son was born.

One of the guys explained that a manger was a food trough for the animals.

They were confused about “because there was no room for them in the inn.” I explained how instead of the census taker coming to the door the government forced everyone to travel at their own expense, and after they were counted they had to pay taxes as well. Because of everyone traveling there was no room at the Motel 6. They ended up staying in the barn with the animals. Mary and Joseph were too poor to have a crib so the baby was placed in a food trough.

Jesus came into a world that they understood:

• pregnant but not married
• poverty
• squalid living conditions
• inadequate resources for a baby

It’s a wonder that no one called Child Protective Services on Mary and Joseph.

Next we looked at:

Luke 2:8-20

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold,^[a] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”^[b]

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely^[c] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

I explained that shepherds were not well respected. They were assumed to have problems telling their property from someone else’s. They were considered untrustworthy to the point that they were not allowed to testify in court. One man commented that some of his homies shouldn’t be allowed to testify because they were lying all the time too.

Since it seemed like an advertising blunder to send the angels to a group of people who were deemed untrustworthy, why did God choose the shepherds to receive the message?

The answers the guys provided were:

• because they needed to hear it
• because they were willing to receive it

The other thing the guys noticed is that the shepherd responded to the message. They went as they had been directed and saw for themselves.

There is a powerful sermon:

• They needed the message
• They were willing to receive the message
• They responded to the message

This came from guys who may have been hearing the Christmas story for the first time.

The Annunciation & Incarnation

There were 9 guys from the lower tier of the maximum security unit at Bible study tonight.

There have been changing some of the procedures at the jail recently. Tonight that meant that all the guys were already in the room when I arrived. The side effect was that the guys had had a chance to talk among themselves for a while and were pretty wound up – lots of nervous energy – junior high kids on Red Bull kind of energy.

We went around and said our names. I’ve gotten to know some of the guys well enough to know when they don’t say their real name. Yes, it was one of those kind of nights.

One of the guys opened in prayer and then we sang the first verse of Amazing Grace.

I asked about reputation – on the street, what made for a good or bad reputation? In prison, many have been to prison before, what made for a good or bad reputation?

They gave examples such as being consistent at doing something so that eventually you become known for that. They talked about being reliable – someone who could be counted on. Their examples weren’t much different than what you would hear form a group of business executives or civic leaders.

In prison there is a hierarchy of respect based on the crime someone is in for. Murders may be at the top of the hierarchy while rapists and child molesters may be at the bottom. There was a lot of contempt directed towards anyone who would harm a child.

I then asked if anyone knew what the word allegory meant. No one did, though one man recalled that Al Gore ran for president. For examples I offered the stories of “Chicken Little” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. Both stories taught something about credibility. I explained that for tonight’s scripture, rather than focusing on a literal interpretation, I wanted them to read it and ask themselves, “How does this apply to me?”

I knew without that introduction the conversation would go off on a rabbit trail; and it did from time to time but we still returned to the topic.

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

²⁹ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Again I reminded them to look at the story from a perspective of, “How does this apply to me?”

We looked at what the angel said in in verse 28 – though the guys really, really wanted to talk about verse 35. These guys are surrounded with messages that tell them they are worthless and beyond hope. But God says, “I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” (Is. 43:1b)

In verse 29, “²⁹ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ”

She wasn’t troubled by the messenger, she was troubled by what he was saying. In the same way many of these guys struggle with receiving the message that God loves them, they are of value, and that forgiveness is available.

 

We looked at verses 31-33. Christians sometimes talk about Christ alive in us. What does it mean to have Jesus dwell in us? One of the guys talked about how it has changed his life. Even in the midst of where he is and what is going on, God has given him a sense of peace, and hope for the future.

We discussed verses 34-37. Mary was ill-equipped to the task, but it was possible through the Holy Spirit. We are ill-equipped to the task and need the spirit as well.

At this point one of the guys wanted to know more. In his case his drug use has led to completely out of control behavior that ultimately gets him arrested. When he gets released he still goes back to his addictions even though he knows it won’t end well. He has tried hard on his own, but without success. Some of the guys talked about how having God gives them the courage to go though treatment, to attend AA or NA, and to do the steps needed to find their way back to sobriety.

We also talked about how some changes take time. Many of the guys have seen wives or girlfriends go through pregnancy. Eventually even the way the woman walks changes as a result of the child growing within her. So too our own walk changes.

I told the story of Louis that Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries shared a few days ago.

Here is a six minute video of Father Greg. At 1:20 he tells the story of Louie. https://youtu.be/LyKBX7CWG6A

The annunciation — I have called you by name

The incarnation — Christ alive in us

Jailhouse Theologians and the Midrash

There were 12 guys from the lower tier at tonight’s Bible study in the maximum security unit of the county jail.

When I arrived on the unit the CO let me know that pill call would likely come midway through the study. That was fine because there was a natural break in tonight’s study.

Only 3 of the 12 guys were regulars that I’d seen before. The others were new. There has been a lot of turnover. The nature of this ministry is that I’m not sure what has happened to the guys I no longer see. Were they acquitted, or released to drug treatment, parole, or sent upstate? I’ll probably never know. That is another difference between prison and jail ministry.

I made sure to have every man say his name. One of the new guys opened us in prayer.

I asked what they knew about Moses. Most guys said Moses was one of the guys on the upper tier of the unit. (That is true) I asked if they knew anything about Moses who lived a long time ago. One of two knew that he had led the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt.

I said that we were going to look at a different chapter of the life of Moses.

Exodus 2:11-15

¹¹ Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. ¹² So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³ And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”

¹⁴ Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” ¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

I asked the guys to describe the story in their own words. In the language of the streets, it went something like this. “Moses saw one of his homies being beaten by a rival gang member. When he thought the coast was clear (that meant it was premeditated) he put a hit on the rival gang member and stashed the body.

The next day he sees a couple of his homies fighting. When Moses tries to break it up they get up in his face wanting to know who made him all high and mighty. They say they knew about the murder. Apparently somebody is a snitch because Pharaoh hears about it and Moses has to leave town.”

Clearly they were able to see this story in a context familiar to some of them.

There was some speculation about the motive Moses had in killing the man. Was he reacting to in injustice? Was it racially motivated? How much was Moses aware of his own identity as a Hebrew as he grew up on Pharaoh’s household?

Was it second, minutes, or hours between the time that Moses saw the abuse and when he killed the man? The length of time would determine if this was premeditated or a crime of passion.

Making sure no one was around when he did the killing and the fact that he hid the body meant he was trying to cover up what he had done.

The next day when he confronts the two Hebrew men who are fighting they actually “disrespect” Moses. They don’t see him as one of their own. Was he seen the same way some people see bi-racial people, as not belonging to either race?

There was also speculation on the character of the two men who were fighting.

Nerdy theological aside:

When I prepare for a study that uses Old Testament scripture I will usually try and read Rashi’s commentary and perhaps look at the Midrash. I found it amusing that the jailhouse theologians tonight were considering some of the same things as rabbinic scholars from long ago. From Rashi:
two Hebrew men were quarreling: Dathan and Abiram. They were the ones who saved some of the manna [when they had been forbidden to leave it overnight, as in Exod. 16:19, 20]. [From Exod. Rabbah 1:29]

Back to our study.

Within a matter of a few days Moses went from living in the most powerful house in Egypt to being on the run – unable to see family or friends again. He lost everything in a hurry. The men in the study could relate to that. One man talked about how things had been going well for him, but then his addictions ruined his relationships and his life.

I asked what might have gone through the mind of Moses as he was on the run and in the first few days, months, and years that he was in exile. Were those last two days in Egypt played over and over in his mind? One man talked about replaying the events that led to where he was now.

At this point Pill Call came so I lost 8 of the 12 guys for a few minutes. This gave me a rare opportunity to just talk with a few of the guys. They have few opportunities for regular conversations with someone other than their cellie. I appreciated getting to know them better too.

After Pill Call we looked at:

Exodus 3:1-5

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.³ Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”

⁴ So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

⁵ Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

I explained that it was 40 years between when Moses left Egypt and when he had the encounter with God in the burning bush.

Forty years: that sounds like a sentence for murder.

I asked of God had a checkbox with the question, “ Are you a convicted felon?” Apparently not.

I asked why.

One of the men replied with a sense of awe, “Because God forgives.”

God can love, redeem, and use someone even if they have murdered.

Why did it take 40 years? The consensus was that Moses needed to change from someone who was raised in Pharaoh’s house and felt entitled, to someone who was described as the most humble man in the world.

God waited for Moses to be ready.

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush

It wasn’t until Moses turned to look that God spoke.

God waited.

God was patient with him.

God is patient with us.

When we turn to look, God speaks.

 

More Stories of Jesus Spitting on the Disabled

There were 8 guys from the lower tier of the maximum security unit at the Thursday night Bible Study. There was a 45 minute delay for me to get in while the facility was on lockdown. After the lockdown was cleared I went to the unit and started setting up. About a minute after I arrived there was a call over the CO’s radio. He started escorting me back out of the unit and then the radio indicated it was clear again.

I never know which tier I will meet with on any give week. In this case I was meeting with the lower tier two weeks in a row.

After a lockdown sometimes the guys have a lot of nervous energy. However, tonight they were more subdued with the exception of one guy who was showing off his new haircut. He had cut off his pony tail and, in preparation for his upcoming court date he had even cut off his “biker goatee”, as he called it.

Sometimes the scriptures that I use have a common theme. It was true last week and tonight where once again we were reading about Jesus spitting on people with disabilities. I remarked that someone must need to hear something about spitting in order for us to look at it two weeks in a row.

Mark 7:31-37

Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute

³¹ Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. ³² Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.³³ And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. ³⁴ Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him,“Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

³⁵ Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶ Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. ³⁷ And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

We talked for a bit about the similarities between being a deaf-mute and being incarcerated. Many of the guys had an older relative who had poor hearing. The person with bad hearing frequently had trouble understanding what was being talked about and taking part in the conversation. Eventually people would just stop including “grandpa” in the conversation. Sometimes people would talk about “grandpa” even though he was right there.

Some of the guys said it is the same experience in court. The prosecution, defense, witnesses, and even the judge may all be talking about you, but you have limited ability to get involved in the discussion.

There is also a similar feeling of disconnectedness with family. I was reading about an inmate at another facility whose teenage daughter had just run away from home. Because he was incarcerated he was unable to take active part in the discussion or even to get up to date information about the search for her.

Unable to be involved in daily discussions, unable to hear words of consolation, the deaf-mute and the incarcerated seemed to have more in common than the guys had initially imagined.

³² Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.

The text never says who “they” were. Was it family, friends, religious people who were out to test Jesus? Those were some of the guesses the guys had, but we don’t know for sure.

I reminded the guys that at least 32 people are praying for them on a weekly basis. They are not alone. They are not forgotten.

³³ And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.

Just as with one of the stories last week, healing took place when the man was pulled aside.

We discussed how the man may have reacted to having Jesus touch him this way. Was it a relief? Was it painful? Was the man confused or grossed out? We talked about how we might have responded in the same circumstance.

He sighed

I asked why Jesus sighed. What were various reasons that people sigh? A common experience that all the men had was when they first came to jail. After the arrest, intake, and all the processing they each distinctly remember when the cell door closed and there was a long sigh as the reality of their circumstances hit them.

Did Jesus let out a sigh of frustration, of sorrow, of disappointment?

I offered an alternate point of view. I suggested the Jesus sighed because he completely understood this man. Jesus knew the man’s frustration at wanting to tell family and friends that he loved them, but they could not understand the man’s words. Jesus knew the man’s desire to be included in life and conversation, but to instead be left out.

Even before they healing of his hearing and speech the man first experienced the touch of Jesus, and Jesus understood this man. Jesus “got” him in a way no one else ever had.

³⁷ And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well.

As we had done last week, we talked about why Jesus sometimes used spit. For some people spit is in integral part of what is expected during the healing process. It means that Jesus may come in a way or using a method that we understand, but then takes us to astonishment.

I asked some of the guys how they had encountered Jesus.

The atmosphere of the room changed. They were quiet for a while. One of they guys admitted that he had yet to encounter Jesus.

Others talked about growing up in the church but had wandered away and were trying to find their way back, to make a change.

Another man told his story of growing up going to church, but wandering away as a teenager. As he became older he learned how to “look good on the outside” by going to church and doing the things that expected him to do socially to be a “good” husband and father, but it was all a sham, and finally his double life gave way to the power of following his greed and addictions. In jail he had to come to terms of how badly he damaged his marriage, and how he had let down his children. I asked how God was speaking to him now. He said through his Bible reading. He is finding hope and encouragement as he reads about others in the scriptures.

Many of these men are a long ways down a hard road. What is there hope?

2 Chronicles 7:14

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The Healing Power of Spit

There were 13 guys from the lower tier of the maximum security unit at tonight’s Bible study.

I had been away for two weeks: first for a head cold, and then for a vacation to see family and friends in the Midwest.

I had one of the guys open the study in prayer. We then sang “Amazing Grace”. I was about to go into the introduction of the study when one of the guys reminded me that I’d forgotten to have everyone say their name. It may seem like a small thing, but for this brief point in time they are not referred to as “inmate”, or by their number, or just their last name. For this moment in time they are called by their first name. In this culture only friends may call you by your first name. For this hour we call each other by our first names.

After we went around the circle with each man saying his first name I opened up the study by asking about mud. Each seemed to have a fond memory of playing in the mud as a kid: sloppy mud, mud pies, splashing, joyous. Some even enjoyed eating mud. We also talked about spit being used by mothers or grandmothers as a universal cleaning agent, or as a disinfectant or pain killer in the form of a kiss on a wound.

We looked at two different scriptures tonight. The first was:

Mark 8:22-29

A Blind Man Healed at Bethsaida

²² Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. ²³ So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

²⁵ Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. ²⁶ Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

There were a few things we noticed.

Jesus took the man out of town before he began to heal him. For some people, do they need time apart from others before healing can begin? One man talked about spending time in the SHU (special housing unit: another term for solitary confinement). He said all he had was four walls and time to think – 24×7. It gave him time to sort through things. Other men in the group did not have the same positive reflections on their own time in The Hole.

We wondered how the blind man reacted or what he felt when Jesus spit in his eyes. Did he know it was coming? Was he surprised or angry? Was he used to people spitting on him?

It sounds like his first sight was messed up. Was Jesus like your inept brother-in-law who thinks he can fix cars, but you have to keep taking it back to him? Why didn’t Jess heal him properly the first time?

There was discussion that sometimes healing is a process. Guys who are dealing with addictions may have to wrestle with that. Not everyone is instantaneously healed. God seems to be OK with using a process for healing.

We looked at an allegory for “seeing men like trees walking” and “seeing everyone clearly”. The prosecutor or judge may see them based on their arrest record and outstanding charges. That may only be a partial picture. What would it be like to really see people clearly: to see them completely as God sees them, to see ourselves as God sees us?

We talked about why Jesus might have instructed the man to go home rather than running into town and telling everyone what had happened. Some of the guys concluded that perhaps this man needed to learn how to live as someone rather than as a blind man. He needed to learn how to live in this world that was new to him. Some guys talked about learning how to live on the outside and free. I shared about a man who had gone into prison in the early 1970s before the gas crisis when gas stations still had attendants who would fill your car with gas. When he got out 20 years later in the 1990s he had no idea how gas pumps worked, and that you had to pay for the gas first, and so on. He needed time to adapt to his new world.

Jesus seems to understand that this man who had been blind was going to need some time to adapt to his new world. Jesus was more concerned about this man, than about His own reputation as a healer.

We then looked at

John 9:1-7

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. ⁴ I^[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

I had them swap out “born blind” for “in prison”. The controversy of whether it is the person’s fault, or their parents, or society, or… This conjecture has been discussed through the ages.

This time when Jesus heals, not only is there spit, but mud is involved too.

At this point one of the guys who has been skeptical says that he has a hard time believing either of these stories are true. I talk about how to read these stories as allegories or object lessons even if he doesn’t accept them as historical. The lesson we see in this story is that Jesus doesn’t get caught up in finding who to blame for this man’s suffering. Instead he deals with the reality of the situation as it is and offers help. It means dealing with the reality of the situation rather than putting energy in merely trying to find someone to blame. That seemed to make sense for this man.

We looked at how Jesus changed the healing process for each man. One was taken out of the city and Jesus stayed with him through an iterative healing process. For another he was given a mud poultice and then told to go wash. Jesus didn’t go with him. We’re not even sure how the man found his way to the pool to wash the mud off. Did his friends or parents take him to the pool?

Jesus doesn’t see to be hung up on a “one size fits all” method of healing. It seems to be individualized, and it seems to involve a process rather than waving a magic wand.

What do you need to have Jesus spit on?

Faith When You Cannot Hear

This week I didn’t attend the Thursday night Bible study in the maximum security unit. I had a head cold that completely plugged up my ears.

Even in “normal” Bible studies outside the walls I’ve noticed that people tend to be rather quiet when they are sharing something deeply personal. It tends to come off rather callous if the Bible study leader says, “WHAT?” and makes them repeat it. It is even more off-putting and potentially hurtful if the Bible study leader appears to ignore what someone has said, especially if it is something deeply personal.

In addition to those scenarios the reality of ministering behind bars is this:

1. I must be able to hear correctional officers (COs) if they give a command
2. I must be able to hear and respond to the men particularly if they are trying to alert me that they are in danger.

An example of the first item: If the COs determine there is a security situation requiring a lockdown they may just open the door and say, “Lockdown”, and I will need to immediately end the study and move out of the unit. (See my earlier blog post “Lockdown”)

On the second item: At either the beginning or the end of a study someone may try to alert me that they are in danger. Another chaplain in a womens’ unit talked about a time that a woman gave her a small note that read either  ”help” or “911”. The chaplain took her to the CO to get her put into protective custody. It turns out the woman had already been attacked once and was at very real risk of being attacked again even more severely.

Good hearing goes beyond just the convenience aspect. It is a matter of safety as well,  for both me, for the men, and for the staff.

While it is important to be consistent in ministry, it is also important to understand our limitations. Consider this scripture:

2 Timothy 4:20

²⁰ Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

Paul isn’t shaming Trophimus for being sick. Trophimus was clearly ministering with Paul (Acts 20 and 21). Now he needed to deal with his illness.

Now some may think, “but if I don’t go then who will minister to those men?”

But I don’t bring Jesus to the jail. Jesus is already there. I already know that some of the men are ministering to an encouraging each other. In the unit where I lead the study they are served breakfast very early in the morning – usually around 3 or 3:30am. For this meal the men are let out of their cells to go to the common area where they can get their breakfast. This is a time the men can converse with each other. I’ve already heard about some of the encouragement and discussions of faith that happens at the breakfast table.

Matthew 18:20

²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

That means even behind bars.

Waiting Behind Bars

There were 12 guys from the upper tier of the maximum security unit at tonight’s Bible study. Just as I’ve noticed in the lower tier, about half of the guys attending tonight were new. Many of the guys are waiting for their trial date to come up, a few may be serving their sentence at this facility, and others have been waiting a long time for their trial date to come up. I’ve heard of some of the guys waiting years for their case to finally get settled.

Tonight’s discussion opener was about waiting. Is there waiting that is good, and is there waiting that is bad? In the maximum security unit there is a LOT of time spent waiting. Most of that is bad waiting. Waiting for court dates, waiting to meet with their lawyer, waiting for visits – especially when the person never shows up. Waiting for meals, waiting for rec time, waiting for programming – through there aren’t many programs available in this unit.

There is good waiting in life. Waiting for the pizza to cool so you don’t burn the roof of your mouth, waiting for a game to start — some of the guys are avid football and basketball fans. The thought that brought a smile to everyone’s face was: waiting to get released.

I asked what they did to pass the time while they were waiting: sleep, read, pray, talk to their celly. One guy made a crude comment about another activity individuals do to pass the time. These topics sometimes come up when you have a Bible study behind bars. Time to transition to the scripture.

Isaiah 40:27-31

²⁷ Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
²⁸ Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

For verse 27 I asked about if they had ever seem people who were convinced that even God had forgotten about them. One of the guys said he had been struggling with that this past week. It seemed like so many people had lost faith in him: his family, his parole officer, his lawyer. He began to wonder if even God had given up on him. I asked what he had done about it. He shared some of the scriptures that he had been reading this week about God’s patience and forgiveness. He also talked about a book he was reading about a man who had committed crimes almost identical to his, and how God was using that man. It encouraged him to know that his situation wasn’t hopeless, and that God hadn’t given up on him.

In verse 28 we talked about how God isn’t limited by visiting hours. God has 24/7 access and doesn’t turn them away because He is too tired. He also understands our situation. They can cry out to God.

In verse 29 the guys talked about their own feelings of powerlessness while they are incarcerated. They have no control over when meals come, when medicine gets taken.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.
They took great comfort and encouragement in those words. So I asked some of the guys how they had seen this happen already. Several of the men talked about God giving them the ability to choose how they respond to their circumstances – they can choose peace and gratitude for what they do have rather than being bitter about what they have lost. They can choose to focus on forgiveness rather than revenge.

We spent most of our time discussing:

³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

The sports fans talked about how during the first half of a game team may not be doing well. At half -time they take a break. They wait. They listen to the coach. They think about what they will do, not only if the play goes well, but even how to recover if the play doesn’t go well. They take the time to get their strength back.

I shared a little bit about eagles. They have large, heavy wings. They are among the highest flying birds, but they don’t get to those heights by just flapping their wings. They wait for the thermals to lift them up. They have learned how to soar by learning how to wait for the up drafts. We wait on God and learn how to deal with life according to His plan rather than by our own flapping.