The real Prisoner

The first time I ever visited a prison was back in my undergraduate days with a group of youths from my fellowship, we went for prison evangelism. It was an indelible experience for us and many of us left that prison with wet eyes.
Really,we had an amazing time but also some really emotive moments.

Until then, I never really realised that freedom is priceless.

As we talked about Jesus and listened to the inmates recount their experiences, we were moved to tears severally. I tried to imagine what it felt like, knowing that they might never be able to see the outside of those walls again. I'ld practically go insane if I were in their shoes.
My happiness was that many of them were already born again and were even sharing the word with us. I'ld never forget the words of one female inmate from the women's wing. She said ''To men, I'm a prisoner but to God I've been set free. The real prisoners are those of you out there who are unsaved. I dont regret coming here because God brought me here so he can save my soul''. As she spoke I could see the peace within her.

When we are crucified with christ, we are no longer slaves/ prisoners to sin because we are freed from sin (Rom 6: 6-7)

There was this case of a female inmate turned born again, that rocked the world in the eighties to late nineties. Karla Faye Tucker (1959 - 1998)  gained international attention because she would be the first woman to be executed in Texas since the civil war (since 1863) and the first in US since 1984.
Tucker was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She had a very troubled and unruly childhood, majorly due to her parent's divorce. During the divorce proceedings, she learnt she was actually the product of an extra-marital affair.
In her early teenages, karla dropped out of school,  turned to alchohol, drug and prostitution, hanging out with all the wrong kind of people. She had a brief marriage at sixteen that ended in divorce.
In 1983, Tucker was convicted of pick ax murder of a man and a woman who were hacked to death in an apartment by Tucker and an accomplice. She was sentenced to death in 1984.
Soon after her imprisonment Tucker received Christ. She became a model prisoner and succeded in converting many of the inmates of Texas hunstsville prison. She was Passionately spreading the word from her prison cell .
Karla  became Texas's most controversial figure ever on any state's death row. Many distinguished personalities  and groups apealed to the state of texas on her behalf, for her life to be spared . Among  these were the UN commissioner on summary and arbitrary execution, the world council of churches,  Pope John Paul 11, etc. Requests for retrials and appeals were denied.
Finally, Tucker was executed by Lethal injection on february 3, 1998. Sources present revealed that she looked so peaceful and was praising Jesus while she was dying.

Karlas Testimony is an enthralling case of the amazing grace of God. God is able to capture even the most hardened criminal existing. He is also willing to change and use anyone no matter how far they have gone into darkness.

 One might be free to move around and live his live the way he desires  but God's condemnation is still hovering over him because he is unsaved, He hasn't accepted Jesus as his Lord and saviour  .Freedom, is knowing that your soul is free from the bondage of sin and eternal condemnation.

 by Chioma