Scriptures: Luke 15:11-32, Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28, John 1:1-5, Isaiah 61:1-3

Surrender! 

Even where we have caused pain for ourselves or for those we love, God is the Ultimate Redeemer. If we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him in, He can bring a crown of beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3). He knows how to bring a message from that mess. He can still create a masterpiece of your life even when there have been unpleasant marks on the palette. Let those words encourage you because they are true. There is no life too far gone that God cannot redeem! There is no offence too big that God cannot forgive! (Think of Saul, who became Paul). God is waiting with arms stretched wide… as portrayed by the Father of the Prodigal Son (in Luke 15:11-32). 

For the person facing a sentence for a crime they did not commit, please be encouraged by the life of Joseph*. Joseph was incarcerated for a crime he did not commit and with no release date in sight, his life seemed rather bleak! Be encouraged; God knows the truth and He is able to turn things around! If He allowed it, then you can be sure that He will use it to bring about ultimate good – if you let Him. 

Though Joseph endured several years in captivity – thirteen to be exact – God’s hand was on him at every point; from the Pit to the Palace. God allowed the whole ordeal to preserve the nation of Israel during the global famine (Gen 50:20). At the end of the entire saga, despite all the pain he had gone through, Joseph could finally look back through the lens of purpose and see God’s hands working behind the scenes all along. He used the situation to bring about a far greater purpose – preserving the life of an entire nation. 

One Scripture that has really encouraged me during difficult moments is Romans 8:28: “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose”. God can work out all – the good, bad and ugly – things for our ultimate good. The question is: “Will we surrender to Him and allow Him to do so?”

Prayer: 

Lord, please forgive us for all the wrong that we have ever done. We know that You have this situation figured out, even though we don’t. Therefore, we choose to trust You with our lives. Help us to learn all that You want to teach us in the midst of every difficult situation. We surrender to You! Thank You for not letting our pain be wasted. 

Reflection:

On a sheet of paper, write down some thoughts and questions about the pain you are currently experiencing. Fold the sheet of paper and place it in your Bible (any book/chapter will do). As you do so, imagine that you are handing it all over to Jesus (He is the Word after all! See John 1:1-5). Whenever you find yourself overthinking about what happened, what you may have done or the consequences, remember that you have now handed it over to Jesus. Therefore, instead of worrying or over-processing, pray about the situation. Then, pause and listen to what God may be saying to you in response. (Feel free to add to the list of thoughts or questions as many times as you need to).

Scriptures: Psalms 34:18, Psalms 145:18

Dealing with the lonely moments … 

As we saw from yesterday’s devotional reading, God is an Expert at taking rather unpleasant situations and producing purposeful outcomes. However, this does not remove from the day-to-day reality when you or your loved one is in prison. 

For the person in his or her cell, what do you do with hours on end of silence? What do you do when your view of the world is limited to what you can see through the bars in the corner of the cell? … You can remember that Jesus is there. As crammed as it may be, as long as you have invited Jesus into your heart, He is right there with you. Whether you see Him or not. Even if that’s all you can hold on to, this very truth is sufficient to keep you going on the worst days. 

For the woman who is struggling to shoulder the burden of the additional role of ‘daddy’ whilst her partner is not there, God sees you. He sees the lonely moments when you just long to be held. He sees you late at night after you’ve tucked the children into bed and the tears roll down your cheeks uncontrollably. He sees; He hears; He knows. 

For the young person who is growing up without their parent and is longing for a worthy example, let Jesus be your Role Model. Let Him in, for He longs to heal your heart and guide your life. He can lead your ‘daily walk’ and guide you towards godly people who will walk this journey of life with you. 

An encouraging verse in these lonely moments is Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit”. Even when we can’t see Him or anyone else for that matter, God is right there; all the time. 

You know what’s more? God is Omnipresent – a word that simply means that He is everywhere at every time! Therefore, you can call on Him for help at any moment. As Psalm 145:18 reminds us, He is near us whenever we call on Him sincerely. Let that truth sink in for a moment… 

You don’t have to bear this burden alone. You don’t need to figure out the next steps all on your own. He wants you to invite Him in. He wants to help you process what has happened. However, because He is the Perfect Gentleman, He won’t barge in. He will just keep knocking gently on the door of your heart… As you allow Him into those painful places, you will encounter aspects of God that you hadn’t quite experienced before. Why don’t you let Him in today? 

Prayer: 

Lord, if I’m honest, I feel so alone right now! However, I know that I am never alone because You are always with me – right where I am. Please send me a glimpse of Your presence today. Wrap me in Your arms and remind me of Your love, daily. Thank You Father. Amen 

Reflection: 

On YouTube, search for and listen to the song Who’s There? God’s There [Live], by the Kenoly Brothers; it is a beautiful reminder of God’s Presence. Also, spend some time pondering the lyrics^ (included below for easy reference): 

I may never know
The heartache that you feel
Sometimes cold winds blow
Life’s pain becomes real

The silent tears you cry
Can never go unheard
For God is standing by
Before you say a word

Who’s there, God’s there
Always right by your side
Who’s there, God’s there
Always standing close by

Your life may seem hard
When everything goes wrong
See fear can grip your soul
And your doubts can be so strong

Remember Jesus knows
The heartache that you feel
And He wants to hold, hold you
Hold you until you heal

He’s right there with you
Standing next to you
He’s right there by your side
So don’t be afraid
Because He won’t go away
God’s right there
Standing by

Scriptures: Acts 12:1-17, James 5:16, Revelation 21:1-4

Prayer works!!! 

In Acts 12, after Peter was arrested, the church was praying constantly for him. Verse 5 states: “So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church”. Each time I read this Scripture, I reflect on the disciples’ reaction; it almost suggests that they didn’t really believe God would answer their prayers (verses 15 and 16). However, God in His mercy, still granted their desires. 

I’m reminded of another Scripture (James 5:16) – “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results”. There is great power in heartfelt prayer! 

Even though Peter was in prison, the night before he was due to be executed wasn’t too late for God! He stepped into the situation at what seemed like the last minute and rescued Peter through an angel. 

We cannot guarantee that we will always have what we want when we pray. However, we know that God hears our prayers, and He knows how to work them out for the ultimate good of those we are praying for. Whether our loved ones are released from prison or not, God is still in the business of doing miracles. More often than not, the first miracle will be the one in their hearts and I daresay; in ours! 

When we don’t know what else to do, we can pray. I heard a quote some years ago, “If there is a man to pray, there is a God to answer”. Our responsibility is to continue to pray. As we do so, let’s keep our eyes and ears alert, for God is always working – inus and for us! 

Believing that God is the God of miracles, why don’t you join me right now to pray? 

Prayer: 

Dear God, we thank You for all those currently facing various prison sentences, no matter how short or long. We thank You that in Your mercy, You are able to turn things around in an instant. We thank You, that even if You choose not to change the sentence, You are still in charge and You are still more than able to use this for Your ultimate purpose and for our ultimate good. We trust You with all our lives and we thank You for the bigger picture in all of this. We thank You that when we place our trust in You, we will live with You forever, no matter what happens here on Earth. Thank You Lord. Amen. 

Reflection: 

Read Revelation 21:1-4. 

Read it again. Then close your eyes and imagine yourself in a place and time where there is no more death, pain or crying. A place of utmost bliss… Open your eyes and smile big, because regardless of what happens here on Earth, this is what you will experience if you place your trust in Jesus. If you haven’t yet done this, why not do so today? He is waiting for you … ❤️