Serve the Lord with gladness. (Verse 2a)
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. I John 5
She was guilty. And she knew it. Her life over as she sat silently in her cell at the Orange County jail. Third strike. Her life simply got out of control. Her thinking blurred and her heart hard. So there she was, looking at a lifetime in prison. No parole. No more grace for her. The orange prison jumpsuit told her story. Clothed in her shame with no way out.
One morning early, right after the trial and the sentencing, Gloria's cell was unlocked. Into her space came a guard who told her the prison warden was waiting for her in his office. Her stomach churned in gripping expectation of some further wrong they'd discovered. She'd done way more than the jury found her guilty of. Inside the office of the warden sat a man whose wealth was famous all over the globe. He was wearing an expensive suit, his hair was neatly combed and he smiled broadly as she shuffled into the room.
"Gloria, please sit down," said the warden. "I have some news that might interest you."
Gloria did as she was told as her heart raced and her forehead beaded with sweat.
"I'm sure you've heard of this man sitting next to you. He owns more property in this world than anyone else."
Gloria nodded. Confused by the connection between herself and him.
"His oldest son has agreed to do your time in prison." The warden glanced over at the multi-billionaire and took a deep breath. "He wants to take you home with him, to be his daughter. It's not something I understand, but if you're willing, you are free to go, remanded into his care."
There was no way of comprehending the magnitude of what she'd just heard. "You mean, I don't have to serve my time?"
"No. His son is serving it instead."
"But why?" Gloria knew there must be an angle. Something she was missing.
"Because I...we...chose to set you free." He spoke. The man in the soft leather chair beside her.
"You are my daughter now if you will choose to be so."
The mansion in which the entrepreneur lived was beyond description. Gloria's new room was enormous--bigger than her entire apartment. There was food of any description available to her whenever she was hungry. And her new father spent time with her daily, showing her his business, talking of his hopes, listening to her heart. She'd never been so beautiful, either. He dressed her in the finest clothes and untangled the mess her curly hair had become over the months in jail. Gloria was clean, loved and healthy. She forgot quickly that her new father's son sat in her jail cell. Forgot it so completely that when her father asked her to do small things for him--make her bed, bring him coffee or check the mail--she found herself being irritated at the suggestion that she needed to obey his every whim. It came to a head one day when her new father asked her to go to a faraway country to represent him there to the natives of the land.
"How can you ask me to give up my life to go to some god-forsaken land for you?" She nearly screamed it. "You're always asking me to do things I don't want to do."
There was pain in the father's eyes. Gloria had forgotten. Forgotten where she was when he found her, made her his. She didn't remember the hopelessness of her existence without him. Too accustomed to the access she had. Too flippant about the fact that his son was serving her sentence. Chose to because the father loved Gloria so much. And so did the son.
How could she not do anything the father asked of her? How could she be so blind to his merciful love? Why would she not spend every hour of every day serving Him with gladness?
Indeed.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. I John 5
She was guilty. And she knew it. Her life over as she sat silently in her cell at the Orange County jail. Third strike. Her life simply got out of control. Her thinking blurred and her heart hard. So there she was, looking at a lifetime in prison. No parole. No more grace for her. The orange prison jumpsuit told her story. Clothed in her shame with no way out.
One morning early, right after the trial and the sentencing, Gloria's cell was unlocked. Into her space came a guard who told her the prison warden was waiting for her in his office. Her stomach churned in gripping expectation of some further wrong they'd discovered. She'd done way more than the jury found her guilty of. Inside the office of the warden sat a man whose wealth was famous all over the globe. He was wearing an expensive suit, his hair was neatly combed and he smiled broadly as she shuffled into the room.
"Gloria, please sit down," said the warden. "I have some news that might interest you."
Gloria did as she was told as her heart raced and her forehead beaded with sweat.
"I'm sure you've heard of this man sitting next to you. He owns more property in this world than anyone else."
Gloria nodded. Confused by the connection between herself and him.
"His oldest son has agreed to do your time in prison." The warden glanced over at the multi-billionaire and took a deep breath. "He wants to take you home with him, to be his daughter. It's not something I understand, but if you're willing, you are free to go, remanded into his care."
There was no way of comprehending the magnitude of what she'd just heard. "You mean, I don't have to serve my time?"
"No. His son is serving it instead."
"But why?" Gloria knew there must be an angle. Something she was missing.
"Because I...we...chose to set you free." He spoke. The man in the soft leather chair beside her.
"You are my daughter now if you will choose to be so."
The mansion in which the entrepreneur lived was beyond description. Gloria's new room was enormous--bigger than her entire apartment. There was food of any description available to her whenever she was hungry. And her new father spent time with her daily, showing her his business, talking of his hopes, listening to her heart. She'd never been so beautiful, either. He dressed her in the finest clothes and untangled the mess her curly hair had become over the months in jail. Gloria was clean, loved and healthy. She forgot quickly that her new father's son sat in her jail cell. Forgot it so completely that when her father asked her to do small things for him--make her bed, bring him coffee or check the mail--she found herself being irritated at the suggestion that she needed to obey his every whim. It came to a head one day when her new father asked her to go to a faraway country to represent him there to the natives of the land.
"How can you ask me to give up my life to go to some god-forsaken land for you?" She nearly screamed it. "You're always asking me to do things I don't want to do."
There was pain in the father's eyes. Gloria had forgotten. Forgotten where she was when he found her, made her his. She didn't remember the hopelessness of her existence without him. Too accustomed to the access she had. Too flippant about the fact that his son was serving her sentence. Chose to because the father loved Gloria so much. And so did the son.
How could she not do anything the father asked of her? How could she be so blind to his merciful love? Why would she not spend every hour of every day serving Him with gladness?
Indeed.
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