The Prison of Freedom

by Don Hatfield

the Ephesians. It was then that we both realized that we had another visitor for over on the window sill a small rain soaked sparrow had perched. It sat there as if it were staring at our crumbs of bread left on the table. Paul scooped them up and took them over to a corner of the cell and placed them on one of the protruding stones. Paul said, “Tychicus what shall we name our new friend?” I replied, “What else could we name him other than Angel.” At this we both nodded our heads in agreement and finished off what was left of our food at our table while Angel finished off what was left of his at his table.”

  Next discussion, Paul kept staring at Angel our little friend and then a smile came across his face. Paul turned to me and said, “I think our little friend has set the example for us.” I said,” What do you mean?” Paul laughed and said, “What boldness it took for Angel to land on that window sill and then fly over to that ledge and partake of the food that was waiting for him. It is dark in this cell Tychicus and his way of escape was out of that window but he choose to fly through the darkness to get to the prize that was there waiting for him. For Angel that bread was the bread of life. I smiled for I had an idea of where Paul was taking us. Paul picked up his pen and began to write these words, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. “Paul laughed and said,” God can use anything to show Himself to us if we will just let Him open our eyes. Oh, that we would! He has used a sparrow to show us how to approach Him. We must approach Him with boldness Tychicus, with free and fearless confidence knowing that we have access to Him. Tychicus, we can go in Holy boldness knowing that we are acceptable to Him in Jesus and with the assurance that He is favorably disposed toward us. That little sparrow must have had some kind of trust that we would not harm it. We must approach our Father with that boldness, with that trust though sometimes the way seems dark. We go in faith knowing that He is the bread of life and He is graciously waiting for us to take it.”

  Next discussion, by this time we had to light our third candle our friend Lucius had only given us four. We both knew that he had taken a big chance even in doing that. We both said a prayer for his safety as we lit that third candle. Paul then said to me, “Tychicus I fear that when our brothers get this letter they will focus on where it was written from rather than the reason it was written. We must reassure them of our Fathers care and guidance. Let me write these words then tell me what you think about them.” I leaned over close to Paul to be able to see what He was writing in the dim light. As I did this I thought to myself God is leaning over his other shoulder and inspiring him to know just what to say to our brothers in Ephesus. These are the words that I read, “Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As I read these words my heart began to melt within me. Here we were in this prison cell, locked away from the world and Paul’s desire for our brothers was that they would not be wearied out. That his oppression, affliction and pressure would not cause them to be spiritless but rather that it would cause them to shine brighter. My heart melted even more when I thought of him bowing on bended knee in that dark corner of this damp cell as he made intercession for them. I then read his next sentence, “of who the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” I realized then that my vision was so narrow and Paul’s vision was so wide. He knew that this gospel that he preached had far reaching effects. I then saw as he had already seen that this gospel would reach out to the world. This good news of Jesus would reach to the uttermost parts of the earth because it had its roots in heaven. This gospel had its roots in eternity. Paul stopped and rubbed his eyes and I knew that they were giving him pain and trouble. He turned to me and said, “Tychicus, do you think that those words will encourage them to keep going back to the throne of grace.” I replied, “Those words that you just wrote encourage me to keep going to the throne of grace. If they encourage me here in this cell how can they not encourage them in their freedom?” Paul just shook his head and said, “Good, good, good.” Paul then said, “If these words will encourage them to bow their knees at the throne of grace then I will tell them what I ask for them while I am there.” Although his eyes were giving him pain he began to write again, “That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. Tychicus, I pray that God would bestow on our brothers some of His abundant supply of glory, some of the absolute inward Excellency of the person of Jesus. I pray this so that they might be made strong by this power that dwells in them.” He then began to write, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye be rooted and grounded in love.” Paul sat for a minute looking at the words he had written and then said, “If they can let Christ continually dwell or be always present with them then they will become firm and fixed. They will become stable Tychicus, they and you will become established. If all of us will just let Him dwell there continually turning to Him for every need then a glorious things will happen Tychicus. Watch as I write down what will happen to each and every one of us.”

  Next discussion, I watched as he wrote the next words and oh what glorious words they turned out to be, “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breath and length and depth and height. And to know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Paul got up and walked around the table and then said, “Do you know how much He loves us Tychicus? I started to open my mouth but Paul put his finger to his lips then walked over close to me and said very quietly, “let me tell you, I want you to lay hold of this, I want you to make it your own. I want you to know the width of His love. You cannot get around if you walk along its path for all of eternity, its length can never be exhausted. If you tried to dig under it and could go to the deepest ocean floor you would find that you had just begun to explore it. If you could keep digging you would find that it extends beyond hell. If you could dig until you came out on the other side of the earth. Then you would find that you could only turn around and start all over again for it depth is unfathomable. Oh my boy, if you said to yourself if I cannot find the width, or length, or depth, then I will climb to the Heavens to find its height. Climb to the moon Tychicus, and then jump from star to star higher and higher and when you have gone beyond each and every one of them. Then you will only began to know of the love that Christ has for us. You will began to perceive of some of it and then you will discover that His loves transcends beyond that and for eternity He will be forever filling us with His love. I want you to lay hold of that Tychicus, I want all believers to lay hold of that. To meditate on His love until they make it their own.” It must have been obvious that I was visibly shaken by what Paul had just said for he sat down and waved me over with his finger, he lit our last candle, and then wrote the following, “Now unto to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. Unto Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all age’s world without end Amen!” Paul said, “Do you own it Tychicus, do you see it, He is able to form us into the love of Christ far beyond anything we can desire that love to be, far beyond anything that we can understand it to be for He dwells in us. It is His splendor, and His brightness, and His power that will dwell with us throughout eternity” I shouted out, “so be it, Amen.” I fell to my knees and said, “Praise God, Praise Jesus, Praise the Holy Spirit.” When I got up Paul said, “Do you own it Tychicus?” I replied,” I think it is beginning to own me.” Paul smiled and said, “That’s what owning it is, you begin to own it when it owns you.” What a day it had been. Night had fallen outside but in my spirit there was a light glowing. I do not know how long I laid there before I fell asleep but I do know that as I laid there I was resting at the throne of grace in the prison of freedom.

  Day Five

  I awoke the next morning and Paul was in his usual place. His body was in that little corner of the cell that he called his prayer co
rner but his spirit was at the throne of grace. I went to my own little corner and knelt down to try to bring this soul of mine into communion with the Father. As I knelt down I heard a small chirp and I looked up and on the window sill was Angel. I said to him in my thoughts, “Angel we do not have any food for you yet because we do not have any for ourselves yet, but you can be sure that you will get your share when we get ours. Amazingly after I thought this Angel flew out the window and then came back and landed again and then flew away. I smiled to myself and thought he is saying okay but I will be back when it is breakfast time. Just at the moment a ray of sunlight came shining through the window of the cell. I got up and walked over to the window and looked out. The clouds were breaking up and the sun was beginning to shine. I thought thank you Father for we will not need any candles today. As I was standing there thanking the Lord for the sunshine another thought came to me. Everything is constantly changing and we who are human try to keep