The Bishop of Kensington, Dr. Graham Tomlin, has spoken about how prison is not just a place where offenders can find God, but a place where we all can find God.
The Bible tells us that God gives us specific places where He can be found. These places include:
- The bread and wine of communion (‘this is my body’, Matthew 26:26)
- In the fellowship of believers (‘where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them’, Matthew 18:20)
- In the preaching of the Word (‘Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly’, Colossians 3:16)
- Most remarkably, God can be found among the poor and suffering, including those in prison. (‘When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’) Jesus replies: (‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Mathew25:39-40)
Dr. Graham makes the point that it is not so much that people in prison or leaving prison need us, but we need them, for, in that relationship, Jesus has told us we can find Him and experience His loving presence that transforms our hearts.