Earlier this week, I heard about an individual, sentenced to two years prison time, without a trial and presumably for no other reason than they follow Jesus Christ. Yet, as I started to pray for this individual and their family, I felt an internal nudge. What if this is part of the plan?
Prison, part of the plan?
Certainly we have read about prison detours that turned out to be tremendous circumstances for kingdom expansion. There was the case of Paul and Silas (Acts 16) and, even Peter’s imprisonment which is detailed in Acts 5 resulted in a great witnessing opportunity. However, I believe often the inclination is to place those events in the Romans 8:28 category of God working all things together for the good. It takes on quite a different tone, however, when you consider the possibility that it was the plan from the very beginning.
But, what loving Father would intentionally place His children in prison? One who desires to see men and women freed from the prison of hopelessness and delivered from the sentence of an eternity separated from Him.
There are moments in the journey where the LORD will permit us to occupy places of confinement in order to bring the knowledge of Himself to those who are bound. This is what Jesus did for us. He submitted to the Father's plan and allowed all the majesty of His Godliness to be contained in an earthly vessel. He consented to vacating the vastness of heaven to endure a thirty-three year sentence within the limitations of the earth. He allowed Himself to be killed and to be secured in a borrowed tomb behind a huge stone. And He did it all so that we might be reconciled to the Father.
He was willing to live a life of containment, for a season, so that we might live a life of freedom eternally. And as His agents, it is very likely that we will be called to do the same at some point in this journey we call life.
There are moments in the journey where the LORD will permit us to occupy places of confinement in order to bring the knowledge of Himself to those who are bound. This is what Jesus did for us. He submitted to the Father's plan and allowed all the majesty of His Godliness to be contained in an earthly vessel. He consented to vacating the vastness of heaven to endure a thirty-three year sentence within the limitations of the earth. He allowed Himself to be killed and to be secured in a borrowed tomb behind a huge stone. And He did it all so that we might be reconciled to the Father.
He was willing to live a life of containment, for a season, so that we might live a life of freedom eternally. And as His agents, it is very likely that we will be called to do the same at some point in this journey we call life.
'And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” Then He added,“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are My followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about Me. So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!" Luke 21:9-15 NLT
'And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.'Romans 8:28 NLT
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