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God’s Spirit is on me; God’s chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”
When Kevin stepped through the doorway and heard the door clang shut, he remembered how he felt two years, seven months, and 26 days earlier before when he walked through the same door and heard it lock behind him. He remembered thinking how life could not get any worse.
But it did. Serving time in prison was not supposed to be fun; that’s why they called it a penitentiary. This particular correctional facility was minimum security, so it wasn’t as bad as it could be. But it was bad enough. Everybody in jail is there for a reason, Kevin discovered, and such people would be his friends, neighbours, and co-workers for the next few years.
He served his time, paid his debt to society, behaved well in prison, and so the parole board said he was free to go. What a great feeling! He never felt his spirit lifted so high. What a difference it was from that first day. He also remembered the words of the chaplain: It is Jesus Christ who sets the captives free. Experience your freedom as God’s gift to you and “realise the certainty of the teachings you have received.” Kevin paused for a moment to give thanks to God for all the good things in his life. He thanked God, too, for the Spirit of new life he had received in prison. He asked the Lord to be with him and help him live a good life. Then he turned and headed down the way of freedom.