Last week I was a Church revival and leadership development event at Angola – Louisiana State Penitentiary. We have held the event annually since 2014. If you can believe it, there are 30 different Churches, serving the 6,000 inmates, most of which are serving life sentences.
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
Psalm 79:11
According to the law in Louisiana people sentenced to life are unable to change, and they are not given the opportunity for parole.
A recent article by the Southern Poverty Law Center describes the plight of lifers that are seeking a second chance at freedom. Click here to read the article.
A short documentary shares their stories. Some of the men in the video are those we work with at Angola Prison.
According to the gospel, those who stand on the great power of Jesus Christ are also sentenced to life… the life of freedom, forgiveness, life to the full, peace that surpasses all understanding, preserved by the bread of life.
Preacher Albert Tate rung my bell with the question:
“Do you want the Father or do you just want his things?”
I’m so busy running and acquiring and anticipating and pursuing and accumulating that I’m too distracted to rest and receive.
We can be free but still enchained.
During the event, we looked at Luke 15. A chapter I am familiar with and has been formative in my spiritual journey. While I was familiar with the story of the Prodigal Son, I was struck by the ending and now see it with fresh eyes:
“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
Luke 15:31-32
God has given us the privilege to be part of his family. He has not withheld anything from us. I get to be with Him for his sake alone!
Now I’m more amazed by grace, more motivated to see people find freedom in Christ and I really, really, really want my incarcerated friends to be released.