November 8, 2004
Jesus in jail
We received a telephone call that an Iranian was in jail near
the Polish border in the southeast of Germany and wanted help.
We traveled about 400 kilometers to meet Kazem, with the help
of the German minister in the city of Guerlitz. Kazem is a man
about 31 years old with a sad and dejected face. We were able
to talk with him in special room at the jail, pray together, and
share with him about the love of God. Then we gave him a copy
of the New Testament and some Christian literature.
At the end of the visit his face was relieved and he had become
hopeful. After that, we were in contact with him through correspondence.
In one of his letters he wrote that he was glad that he had gone
to jail as he had met Jesus in jail and that his life had found
a new meaning through Jesus Christ. It was arranged to baptize
him at the jail, as he did not have permission to go outside.
But two days before the date of the baptism he was set free without
any explanation. He and everyone else were amazed and recognized
this as a merciful miracle of Jesus Christ. A few days ago we
met him along with several Iranians at a Bible study class in
the village of Oppach. There he gave us this letter with his testimony:
As a result of an unintended event I was imprisoned and I became
very disturbed and upset in spirit. I did not know what would
happen to me. My heart was so filled with fear that I wanted
to commit suicide and only wished to die. I had given up everything
and had no hope to live. After some time I became acquainted
with an Iranian church worker who came to meet me at the jail.
At a service for prayer and praise I received a copy of the
New Testament written in my Persian language, and I spent time
alone reading it. At first I did not understanding anything,
but after more study I began to think about my sins and my own
past history. Suddenly I had an amazing feeling: I was gripped
with fear, fear of the consequences of my past sins. Now my
troubles increased, for now my spirit was imprisoned. I earnestly
sought a way of salvation and did not know what to do. I compare
the words and sayings of Jesus with my life. He told about human
life through simple and lovely parables that were also a mirror
in which people could see their own sins clearly, and then he
told them the way of salvation. A wise person can discover his
own sins and recognize the points of weakness in his own being
through Jesus, who was absolutely without sin. I thought about
my own life during my time of exile. Why was I put in jail?
I was ashamed of myself and before God. O God, what a great
sinner I was and I myself did not know it. O Nourisher, how
careless I was, and I was not aware of my own neglect! Where
was I going? I was going on the wayward path, which leads to
darkness and did not know it. I found the reason for my imprisonment.
My crime was being away from God. Pride had such control over
my life that I had gone far from the love of God and had lost
my faith. I remembered the love of my family. But in the presence
of their love I had been exceedingly unloving and hard of heart.
When I thought about the badness of my sinful life it was like
a sledgehammer hitting my head. Days passed and my past bad
actions tormented my spirit, and I was looking for a way of
salvation. I continually read the New Testament and at night
in the darkness in jail appealed to God in my devotions with
tears. Through prayer and knowing Jesus Christ and the New Testament
I asked God for forgiveness that he would forgive me.
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