Recently I read some disturbing news. There are more prisoners in U.S. jails than any other country in the world. As of June 2006 the prison population was 2,245,000. This amounts to 7/10 of one percent of our total population. If all the prisoners were considered a U.S. city, they'd be the third largest U.S. city, after New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. I'm sure that many factors have contributed to this disturbing number. Certainly there is a sense of general moral disintegration across mainstream culture with half of marriages ending and one third of children growing up without a Dad in the house. We don't seem to embrace a universally accepted set of "rights" and "wrongs" like we used to and, too often, individuals probably commit crimes because they can get away with them (they think) rather than because they think it's o.k. Maybe part of the big prison population is due to more effective law enforcement, and I am deeply grateful for the police officers who risk their lives every day. Even the most benign traffic citation could potentially become a fatal encounter.
But in a larger sense I'm concerned for those who are spiritual prisoners. Many are prisoners to the concept that this life on earth is the only life, and that all the pleasure that can be grabbed now defines the motivation for living. Many are prisoners to their natural tendency to go astray...which we all do, ever since the Garden of Eden. There are probably millions who feel trapped by their past...past failures, sins, lost opportunities, broken homes and serious errors in judgment. Many are held by the grip of addictions and truly feel imprisoned by those desires.
We have hope in the one who formed each one of us, for He knows our weaknesses and personally experienced the same temptations we do. We don't have a God who has left us to remain in prison. We have a God who doesn't want to leave anyone behind. The fact is: we're all in prison and we all need to be set free. Only one who was greater than we could accomplish that.
We have just celebrated our country's freedom. Have you yet celebrated your personal freedom by allowing Jesus to unlock your personal prison door?
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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