WHO'S YOUR MASTER
.. Gen 39:20 and Josephs master took him, and put him in prison, a place where the kings prisoners were bound: and he was there in prison. I have been a Warden of a prison for many years. I have seen all kinds of prisoners; the poor, the rich, the smart and the dumb. I see them come and go and come back again. I have always tried to be there on the day the inmate leaves. I shake their hand and say, do not take this the wrong way but I hope I never see you again. I pause and say at least from this side of the bars.
They all smile on this day and say no sir, I have learned my lesson but the stats show many will be back. Why do they come back? We in penology have many reasons. We have charts and graphs that explain it all. I believe though its one thing that keeps bringing them back. Its who their master is. If you have the wrong master, drugs, lust of money and sex, a hard heart etc. I guarantee you HE will bring you right back to my door and laugh at you as you put on your new stripe suit at the prison.
I advice all my inmates when they get out find a new set of friends, a church that will support them, and find a new Master Jesus Christ. He will show you the way out of the dark into the light.
The old saying is correct. The definition of insanity is doing something the same way over and over again and expecting a different result. You must change what you have been doing that keeps bringing you back to your prison.
Change your Master. It is never too late, even if you are already in prison in your own life or with me behind bars. Change now. It may not get you out of what you have done but he can help you through it. Look at the next verse Gen 39: 21, but the lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Now that's the type of Master you need, not one who laughs at you as he throws you through the front gate of your prison but one who will help you and show you favor in the sight of your keeper .Do it now. Choose today the Master you will serve.
Loving God of Creation, keep us all.
Warden Fred W. Campbell PhD.
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