God needs men and women full of the Holy Spirit, who “being rooted and established in love”, so that nothing could bring them in an attitude unloving towards another human being, however big the temptation would be; He needs men and women full of pity, that can fill together with those locked up, that are capable to strengthen the hope of these people, so that they could be considered the first of the sinners, men and women who are willing to become “all things to all people” so that through any means they should bring to salvation, as many as possible, people who wish to see those locked up not only saved, but also becoming Jesus’ apprentice, reaching a high level of knowing and fulfilling the Scripture.
These are only some of the truths that have been built in my heart and in my soul, after everything that has happened inside me each time I walked into Aiud prison. Today, 6th of May, I was as surprised as always, because, although we have faced several difficulties as group regarding the entrance to the penitentiary, God has already planned everything.
I was very glad to see how so many souls, even locked up, have accepted Jesus in their lives. As long as they are alive, there is still hope for them, for these people who self-characterized as “the junk of the society”. Whatever their mistakes or their failures, they can have a new beginning with God. And even if they had 1000 new beginnings before, He, as a Father waiting for His prodigal son to come back home, with His arms full of love and forgiveness, having a 1001 new beginning, God can make something glorious in anyone’s life. He gives all the best to those down. The Father said: “bring the best coat” for His son that has disappointed him most. This is the message brought by the Scripture – redemption and a new beginning, a transformed life, knowing that God does not give up on anyone. This is how I have discovered His heart beating for this locked up, trying to understand this heart beating, to make my rhythm synchronized to this unconditional and crazy love.
What regret I would have had if I hadn’t discovered this truth, the truth that not my failures, as many as they would be, but my lack of faith would have been the one holding back the plan that God had for my life. This is the confirmation I got today through the story of two people of God that have accepted God from all their hearts, obtained their inner freedom, the peace of their souls. The void from their hearts was filled by Jesus.
Jesus called us “fishers of men”. Now, after everything happening today, there is a lot of need for prayers for those in which the miracle already happened, let us pray for all those “fish” that have been caught in the net so that they would not get back to the sea, only to be caught again in the net the next time and then let back to the sea again, let us pray they will be faithful to the one who died for the entire human kind.
In the end, I have to remember every day that the clearest sign of Jesus’ apprentices is the love for one another, coming from a pure heart.
For the glory of the One who is Worthy.
Iulia Manzat
(Biserica Oastea Domnului,Zalau)
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