MAY  8-9 - Three Lessons

"Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, To subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.… “ - Isaiah 45:1-3

Telling others about the God we know and love is high on the agenda of every believer, and many dedicate the whole of their lives to this end. Chuck Colson was such a man.

Chuck was invited to speak to the inmates of San Quentin prison, a facility renowned for it's toughness and violence of it's 'residents.' Undeterred, Colson made his plans. It was arranged that three hundred of the prison's two thousand two hundred inmates were to meet in the chapel to hear him preach. Just days before his arrival however, a chache of weapons was discovered. The prison was immediately put on lock-down, with prisoners confined to their cells. (To see the conditions Chuck faced in visiting San Quentin, go to Youtube, and enter 'San Quentin Lock-down' – the atmosphere of violence is tangible).

Arriving at the prison chapel, Colson found only a few men with special privileges had been assembled. Chuck's heart sank, but he went on, thinking if worst came to worse, he could shorten his sermon, but it was then he noticed a video camera had been set up, and it occurred to him that perhaps the intention was to film the sermon and stream it to the prison library, so he made the decision to give it his best and all.

Later, in conversation with the chaplain he commented how disappointed he felt that he had been unable to address the three hundred men, as planned. The chaplain replied: “Didn't you know? Because of the lock-down, the administration agreed to video your sermon. They'll be showing it tomorrow to all the inmates in their cells via CCTV., and again in the afternoon.

In fact, over the following weeks, the sermon was aired not just twice, but nearly a dozen times. Because of the lock-down, not just three hundred, but all two thousand two hundred prisoners heard the gospel.

Colson said he learned three lessons from the incident:

Mother Teresa is right. God calls us to faithfulness, not to success.

When our goal is to change society, we often fail. When it is simple obedience to God, He blesses our efforts more than we know.

We shouldn't grow weary in well-doing, we will reap a harvest.

Chuck Colson dedicated his working life ministering to Americas most violent prisons and inmates He never again under-estimated the power of God to smooth the way before him.

"So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” - Proverbs 3:4-6

“When Life Gets Broken” sung by Sandi Patty (with Heather Payne) is our song for today.