[The criminal] said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”   Luke 23:42-43

I will never forget my first five minutes of prison ministry. I walked into the unit with a ministry team; the big iron gate swung closed behind us; and I thought, Lord, what have I done? In the prison’s maximum-security unit were people who had been convicted of some very bad crimes. But were they beyond hope? Would there be no place for them in heaven?

Before becoming involved in this ministry, I thought people who had committed serious crimes should be locked up forever. However, the more I went to visit and the better I got to know them, the more they resembled people from the Bible: David committed adultery, Moses committed murder; Rahab was involved in prostitution; Peter who, had he been under oath, would have committed perjury. The Bible is filled with stories of people who made serious mistakes. Yet in the end they found favor with God because God gives second chances. The first person Jesus promised heaven was a criminal. What does that say to us?

Loving God, help us to remember that you gave your son to die for all sins. Keep us from judging people, even those behind bars, and remind us what we have done that you have forgiven. Amen.