Going to the prison

I am writing late tonight because I will be out of the office for the next two days getting to know a little about prison ministry. That makes me think, what does God truly believe about prisoners? It's easy from this side of prison bars to choose to believe that inmates only choose God out of their lack of any other hope other than heaven, but could it be that prison ministries are God's way of getting to people who would otherwise miss out on the good news of His grace?

It's always been hard for me to actually consider Hitler or other infamous people going to heaven if they repented near their death. But really, it has to be my lack of faith in Christ's power to redeem that closes my thinking if I am to condemn such people. Why do I hope, like Jonah, that God will not redeem some people who have caused so much harm to others? What is it in me that finds it hard for me to see God being able to do that? Is God that small? What other perimeters do I put around God's omnipotent grace? Perhaps this weekend will be a time of answering some of these questions.

God is big enough and merciful enough to bring any sinner to heaven and I must continually thank him for that because my sin is no better than the sin of anyone else. If anyone deserves death, it is me.

Thank you God for your amazing grace that covers me and every person that I currently believe to be too far out for your grace. Change my heart this weekend. In Jesus' Name, Amen.