I came for the cookies ...

The Sunday closing events for Kairos Prison Ministries weekends are awesome celebrations of God’s unconditional love and transformational power.  If you’re ever invited to one, do the unthinkable: go to prison.  You will be blessed beyond imagination. 

Probably what makes the closings so great are the testimonies of the inmates who have experienced God’s love and forgiveness over the past four days.  When it comes time for “open mic,” these guys almost race to the podium to bare their souls and tell their stories.  And one comment you’ll hear from time to time is this: “I came for the cookies, but I’m leaving with Jesus.”  Many come away from the weekend far different than when they came – stuffed with food, yes, but filled with love and hope and a better understanding of their worth. 

Today’s Bible passage is the epilogue to Jesus feeding the 5,000.  It is “the morning after,” literally.  What began as a teaching the day before became a miraculous feast ... and then a camp-out.  And when they people awoke to find Jesus gone, they launched out in boats to follow him. 

Was it another jaw-dropping miracle they sought?  More unfathomable wisdom?  The truth from “the Truth”?  No, no, and no.  “You are looking for me,” Jesus said, “not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.”  In prisoner parlance, they came for the cookies! 

How often to do we seek out Jesus simply for our own gratification?  Are we so lasered in on pleasing our palates that we ignore what’s important?   He gives us temporary treats, certainly, and it pleases him to do so.  But of far greater value is his sustenance for our soul – forgiveness and sanctification, peace and joy, life and love. 

Jesus redirected the people’s attention to what really mattered: “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”  By the end of the Kairos weekend, many of my friends behind bars understand this.  For having tasted the life and love of God, the cookies crumble in comparison. 

What will you feast on today?  And what kind of food will you offer to others? 

[Click here to see the daily reading in John 6:22-35.] 

Stand Firm - Acts 25:10-26:1

During the time of my husband's illness, I wondered why God had brought him so far, had prepared him for ministry work like Kairos prison ministry, Honduran Mission trips, and outreach to men in local congregations through a program called Renewal.  Why did God give Dave such a powerful witness only to snuff it out a few years after it begun?

As I am reading about Paul's journey and the times he spent saying the same thing over and over with his words falling on apparent deaf ears.But Paul never stopped proclaiming the truth.  Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (Acts 25:10-11)

I realize now that Dave's witness was even greater during his illness and following his death.  People listened to stories about all the amazing things God did during Dave's life.  People also heard of some of the more precious moments God blessed Dave with during this difficult time.

It is becoming apparent that Paul's ministry is enhanced with the length of time it is taking to clear his name. The more he proclaims his innocence and demands to be taken to Rome for his trail, the more people hear him repeat the gospel message. God worked in mysterious ways in Paul’s life and He will do the same with your life and mine.

Read the Acts 25:10-26:1 text here.