by Don Hatfield
have men worship Him because they loved them He gave them free will to choose. What fantastic grace that is Tychicus, to allow that which you created out of the things which you own the right to accept you or reject you. Even more wonderful is the fact that when we accept Him as Savior we are adopted into His family. We are the sons of God, Tychicus, Glory, Glory, and Glory, he shouted. According to the good pleasure of His will we are the sons of God and He is delighted to welcome us to the family. At this I shouted Glory, Glory, Glory and Paul and I had a Glory shouting match right there in that cell. All of this shouting soon brought one of the guards to the cell door to see what was going on. I watched as Paul asked him a question, “did you know you were chosen” Paul said to him. I then watched and listened as Paul told the guard of God’s loving kindness toward him. I got tears in my eyes as Paul told him of the cross and how Jesus had suffered so much so that He might have the choice of being adopted back into God’s family. The guard whose name was Gregory was visibly moved but did not accept Jesus as Savior at that time. He walked away and then about fifteen minutes later came back and gave us an extra loaf of bread. Paul and I prayed for him as we broke the bread together. Paul then said that we needed to get busy again and we sat down to write some more. My heart went out to him because he labored so hard to be able to see what he was writing. I once offered to take down the words for him but he refused and told me that he was able to commune more with the Lord when he wrote the words himself.
Next discussion, “to the praise of the glory of His grace”, as I read these words it was almost as if they jumped off the page at me. They seemed to sing and speak just to me and say praise to His absolute perfection, praise to His kingly majesty, which has resulted in this wonderful glorious position given to me as a believer. Praise the merciful kindness of God in which He has made me, “accepted in the beloved.” I saw it, God revealed it to me, He has welcomed me into the family, accepted me, adopted me, and all because of what Jesus did. I think at that moment I caught a small glimpse of what grace really meant. In that moment, even though I could see how dark my sins were I could also see how pure I had become in Jesus. I also knew why Paul wanted to write those words himself as He communed with his Savior. Paul then looked up at me and smiled and I knew that he knew that God had revealed something of Himself to me.
Next discussion. Paul was continuing to write while I was just sitting there thanking the Lord. I looked down and read the next words that he had written, “In whom we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.” I ask Paul about that word redemption and this is what he said, “Tychicus, you were kidnapped and worse you were turned into a slave. A slave to your sins, a slave to your body. There was a price on your head, a judgment, a sentence, and that sentence was eternity in Hell. Yet, in your ignorance you did not even know that you were doomed. But God in His mercy could see the price on your head and see the sentence in your soul. He looked for a way to free you from your captor, the devil. Satan tried to say there is no price you can pay for this man for He is not for sale, he is my slave and I intend to keep him. Then a voice was heard there in eternity. It was the voice of Jesus and He said, Oh, but you are wrong Satan, for I will pay a ransom with something better than gold or silver. I will pay for those who believe with my own blood, I will pay the price that cannot be paid for I already own the materials that the price demands and that is a cross. At these words I could take no more, I got up and went over into the corner of the cell and wept. I prayed Jesus you paid an unbelievable price for my worthless soul. I will never to be able to repay what I owe.
Next discussion, I finally was able to stop my joyous weeping and get up and go over to see what Paul was now laboring to write. The words he wrote were these, “wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence having made known to us unto us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.” As I looked at these words I said to Paul, “He decided to do these things because it delighted Him to make Himself known to those He created. When one comes to know Him that one is made to see what others do not see. We come to know that He has given in abundance, up over and above anything that we can imagine or think of Himself to us.” I could not stop talking as I exclaimed to Paul, “He has given us an understanding or knowledge of the Holy love and the will of God.” I stood there looking flabbergasted at the love of God. Paul smiled and said, “Has the student now become the teacher.” At this I was embarrassed and started apologizing. Paul laughed and said,” Tychicus do not apologize for there is only one teacher, one Rabbi, one Master and that is our Savior.” At this I also laughed and was relieved that I had such a one as Paul to be in prison with. Actually, I had been enjoying myself so much that I had forgotten that we were in prison.
Next discussion, Paul then began to write again and he spoke out loud as he wrote his next words. He said, “Tychicus, these next words are important for they talk of the future. The future that our brothers and sisters in Ephesus should know about. That in the dispensation of the fullness of time He might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on the earth in Him. Our brothers need to realize that all things belong to Him no matter where they are. But all things are not of Him. Someday Tychicus when everything has run its full course then the overseer for that is what I mean by that word dispensation. The overseer which is Jesus will come and gather all that are His and all the things which are His and bring them together with the Father. But remember though all things belong to Him not all things are of Him. Those who are not of Him will be cast away for eternity to live in eternal darkness for there is no light unless He is present.” A shudder went through me and the hair on my neck stood up. To think of darkness with no light for eternity. I realized that is what Hell would be like for I had been living in this darkness before I met Jesus and yet I knew that His light was still shinning in the world. In this darkness of Hell people would still have eyes but they would see no light, they would still have their minds and emotions but would not receive nor feel any warmth. I must admit that I grew very fearful for the thought came to me. What if I have somehow missed this Light?
Next discussion, Paul must have been able to read my face for he said, “do not despair Tychicus just listen and learn from what I am about to write now. In whom we have also obtained and inheritance being predestinated.” I interrupted Paul and asked,” what is this inheritance that we gained?” He got up and walked me over to that tiny window which let in the light. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Tychicus that tiny bit of light that shines through this window still sheds some warmth into this darkness. The Holy Spirit which is in the world still testifies of Christ. Many men and women refuse to admit that the light from the sun is from their Creator and many refuse to admit that the light from the Holy Spirit which speaks to their hearts is from the Son of God. Yet the light still shines.” Then he walked me over to the darkest part of the cell. You could actually feel a change in the temperature over in this dark little corner. Paul then said, “Even here in the darkest part of this cell the light still affects the darkness but in Hell there will be no light. Tychicus when you accepted that light of the Son of God you obtained and inheritance in that light. The light that was predestined to shine into men’s hearts from the beginning of time for men who would come to that light.” Paul then sat down at the table and picked up his pen wrote, according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will. That we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ. Paul then ask me, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son that shines in men’s hearts? Yes, I do, yes I do, I shouted.” Then you were predestined to be one who belongs to God. You were predestined to become part of the wonderful will of God in Christ. A partaker of all that God has for mankind in Christ Jesus. A partaker of the wonderful promises that will become ours when our Jesus will return either for us or with us from Heaven. Do you und
erstand Tychicus?” I said with a smile,” I am beginning to see that light. “Paul laughed and got up and gave me a fatherly hug.
Next discussion, Paul sat back down and said, “let us tell our friends at Ephesus a little more about these promises.” He then wrote, “Wherefore after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers.” I said to Paul, “do you pray for each and every one of the saints at Ephesus?” He answered, “As many as God brings to my spirit and mind.” I then asked him, “do you pray for me?” He started to answer and then stopped and looked up at me from the writing table and asked, “Tychicus, do you pray for me?” At this my face probably illuminated the cell a crimson red from embarrassment. I looked down and mumbled, “I hardly pray at all.” Paul softly said to me, “Tychicus prayer is communion with your Father. Always start by talking with Him. Ask Him to help you pray, ask Him to help you be honest with