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Saturday, February 16, 2019

At Light's Edge - Chapter 11: Blood In


Eleven
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Blood In


The Cyrene meeting time rolled around faster than a round pudgy wanna-be-gangster boy being kicked across the exercise yard. Officer Johnson informed Renie that Inmate Cords, i.e. the Perv, had decided to go see the Friday film instead of attending the meeting, "That leaves an opening or two."
Renie ran to ask Joey if he’d like to have a go at it. At first Joey said no, but then changed his mind.
“Why not?” he slurred. “Gimme some of that ol’ time religion, as they say.”
Once searched and escorted, the youths filed into the room and took seats. Renie and Joey sat one row behind Cornell.
Turning his head, Cornell saluted the two, “Hey, howzit goin’?”
Renie replied, “Great, this is my roomie, Joey.”
Cornell’s piercing eyes studied the youth carefully, “I seen ya out on the yard once I think.”
“Probably, I’ve been out there a couple of times,” confirmed Joey.
“You read that verse they gave us last time, Ren?”
“Yeah, and the whole chapter.”
Silence erupted when Clifford James entered the room. He informed the youths that his two compatriots, Lenny and Byron, were at another youth prison that evening and he would be handling things alone.
Clifford started out with a short prayer and went right into his message, “The toughest gang leader ever gave all of his blood so you could be members of his clan. He had twelve lieutenants on his own crew. One of them betrayed him. They were renegades, tax collectors, fisherman; you name it, a variety of fellows that this leader handpicked himself. You use his blood to join up, not your own and not another’s.”
The group displayed their obvious curiosity by looking at each other while Clifford explained how Jesus Christ was considered a trouble maker by the religious leaders of his day. He informed the boys that God once required a blood sacrifice for sin from his chosen people, the Jews, but now had sent his own son to die and be that sacrifice for everyone, once for all.
Clifford added a brief overview of the gospels before asking the youths if they had any interest in knowing the Jesus of the Bible. “Some ministers ask folks to come down front to pray to receive Christ, some use an eyes closed thing and people just raise their hands, and some just have people ask God on their own in privacy.”
“We want a show of hands,” one youth yelled out.
Another added, “Yeah, ain’t no cowards here, preach. Either ya do or ya don’t. It’s that simple.”
“Ok, then,” Clifford said, “A show of hands it is.”
Almost all of the boys raised their hands. Joey put his hand up then down for a while before raising it up again.
“The cross you must carry in here is heavy, awkward and full of painfully long splinters,” commented Clifford. “That is why our ministry is named Cyrene, remember, after the man Simon who was forced to carry our Lord’s cross for the assent up Golgotha. Our desire is to help you with the load of your crosses as best we can. But most of its heavy load will be yours to bear alone with Christ. Can you handle that?”
“Yeah,” some yelled. “Bring it on.”
Clifford continued, “This isn’t a thing about being tough and noticed. It’s more about having a relationship with God, a relationship that helps you, so you can help others.”
The boys sat attentively.
“You live your life, pray whether you have problems or not, and find God’s answers in your reading of the Bible. God speaks through those words. Then, once you see God doing something in your life, you can tell others about it and even help someone who’s going through a problem that you have already been through.”
Renie and many other boys wondered if God was with them in those horrible moments that happen to them all, those moments everyone denies and never mentions. The boys were not prepared for what was said next.
“Every time those rapes and assaults happen to you, I want you to picture in your mind the soldiers beating the blindfolded Jesus with their fists and rods, and also the pounding of those nails into Christ’s palms; picture our Savior agonizing in pain on that cross of execution. Do this for any abuse you get for being a Christian. If they are dishonoring you because you belong to God, then you know he will reward you when you meet Christ face to face.”
The youths had never heard such a preacher before; someone who addressed their world and their lives so well. Renie’s face lit up with hope.
Clifford read to the group the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. He asked the boys if there were any questions. Many questions arose, finally someone inquired about the bindings.
“That is a good question, the bindings. One thing you will notice,” Clifford took a deep breath, “Jesus told others to unbind Lazarus and set him free. We can’t always get free from the things that bind our lives, we need help sometimes.”
It was as if lights went on in a dark tunnel. The boys understood that they needed each other.
“Lazarus was dead and gone, hopelessly lost in his stinking grave!”
The youths looked around at each other.
“But Christ called him back to life and told his family and friends to set him free; he’ll do that for you if you believe and trust in him patiently.”
Joey spilled his guts about how he and a group of boys had abused a Christian kid some years earlier, “Do you think that Jesus kid and God could ever forgive me?”
“Yes. If you ever run across that boy ask for forgiveness, but don’t go on a sin witch hunt looking for people you’ve wronged in your past; face forward and pave your future road in life with service to Christ. Jesus said that whatever you have done to the least of his children, you have done it to him.”
“That’s a scary thing,” Renie replied.
“No, not really, the Bible says that all sin against Jesus, the Son of Man, will be forgiven. Our Lord takes those wrongs we do to his children and puts them upon himself, now he can forgive them. You’re responsible to turn away from those types of actions and confess to God what you did.”
Clifford paced back and forth across the room looking each boy in the eye. “Those horrendous crimes many of you have committed are also a cross you must bear. The pain of the memories and the burden of guilt are just some of the piercing nails you will feel from time to time. God forgives and removes those sins far from us, but we still remember them and so do the victims. Dying to our self and focusing on Christ,” Clifford raised his Bible. “that is all we can do. It’s a day by day, step by step thing.”
“So Christ can relate to us in this prison and he knows what our lives have been like and what they’re like now?” Renie questioned for clarification.
“Correct. Jesus has been the reject. They considered him a bastard kid in his home town; a child conceived outside of marriage, that was a big deal back then. Religious leaders despised Jesus and even one of Jesus’ own apostles ratted him out for a handful of cash. You are not alone.”
“It’s blood in, preacher. The blood of Christ gives us the in to his kingdom,” Renie affirmed.
One of the youths said, “Amen!” It began to feel a little like an old time revival meeting in that prison room.
Clifford read to the group Matthew 18:21-22, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’” Clifford looked at the youth, and then continued, “Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’.”
“That’s a lot,” someone commented.
Clifford responded, “Imagine someone committing a wrong against you that many times in a row and you forgiving them.”
The boys thought about that for a moment.
“And God is so much more forgiving than we are. He will forgive you, just be honest with him. He knows the truth anyway.”
“Thanks, preach,” Renie yelled. The others joined in thanking Clifford for coming.
“I’m just happy God let me come tonight. God bless all of you; see you in three weeks or so.”


Next Chapter: Rat-a-tat-tat


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