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Thursday, July 08, 2004

He wore a bright, tangerine jumpsuit. Tattoos were enblazen across his forearms, a dark green snake zigzagging from his chin to his cheek. He looked rough.
His intercessor spoke on his behalf to the judge. His client had changed. Everday the man would be reminded of his past when he gazed into the mirror and saw the snake zigzagging across his face. He would be reminded of the mistakes he had made, though he had been changed.
The judge asked if the man had anything to say on his behalf. He answered "yes, I have a letter" and struggled against the chains around his hands to unfold the three-pages he had tucked away. His hands shook, his eyes grew shiny as he spoke in his letter to the judge.
"Dear Judge Phil," he read, with in a voice unaccustomed to reading aloud to a crowd, let alone a person who held the fate of a life in his hands.
"I would never want anyone to sell crack-cocaine to someone I loved or even my seven-year-old son, who is here today." He gestured over to the pews across the room. The boy was the youngest in the room.
"My life changed when I met Jesus Christ in August of last year. My girlfriend, because of my habits, would not marry me until she saw a change. I had moved to Texas after living here in Tucson and committing the crimes and thought I could continue drinking when I got to Texas. When I met Jesus, that changed. I got a job at the China Buffet restaurant and began working there. I even built a good relationship with my boss and he trusted my judgment and hired my 17-year-old son too. I'm so proud of him. He's working and going to school and is passing with flying colors. It's more than what I did with my life at his age."
" My life was getting better and I found out my girlfriend had become pregnant and after she saw the change, she married me the following month. We now have a baby boy. Things were changing until I was arrested in Texas after finding out Arizona authorities were looking for me."
His eyes grew moist and his voice began to break.
"I've changed through the salvation of God and I just want to provide for my 4 kids and my wife. Please, give me mercy and grace that I don't deserve. Please don't give me the punishment I deserve." Tears flowed as he finished and tried to fold the letter once more, dropping one page on the ground. The prisoner shackled to him, next to him, bent down with him so he could pick up the page.
The judge paused and said, "You don't need to impress me with your changes, you need to do that yourself. It's clear that you are changing, but you need to stay away from alcohol and do what you need to do."
Then the judge said he could be on 5 years probation, pay some fines and live where they felt it was appropriate. He had to attend counceling, do community service and other things.
They began signing papers immediately.
He had been released.
He would need to pay, but not the harsh penalty he deserved.
He was forgiven and allowed to move on with his life.
And at first, all I could think of was how Christ saved him and me in the same way.

Lord, thank you for saving the life of this man and bringing him into Your presence. I pray that you would continue the work within him that you have begun and I pray that he would be an encouragement for others who have made wrong decisions, even if it isn't drugs or alcohol. May he be a blessing in your kingdom and go about praising you just as Saul did after you freed him. Make him into a new creation and give him a new identity, a new name. Thank you for giving us freedom to choose and thank you for freely blessing and freely giving. Help me to freely give, freely bless and freely serve others the way you did when you were here on earth. Thank you Father for allowing me to witness this miracle and testament today. Please continue to shed light into the darkness. You're amazing and I praise you.

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