‘Jesus looked at him and loved him’ – Bob Wilson
The thought of being watched can be both comforting and a little disconcerting! When I am rock climbing and a little nervous that I may fall, I want to know that the person on the other end of the rope is watching very carefully. However, when I am driving along the outside lane of the motorway and get sight of a police car sat on the overhead bridge, my desire to be watched is somewhat different.
When it comes to our faith, I think it is often similar. There are times when we want to know that ‘he who watches over you will not slumber,’ (Psalm 121:3) but there are times when we want to know, with all earnestness, ‘Where can I flee from your presence?’ (Psalm 139:7). We experience both a need for God’s presence and a sense of guilt that He sees all. These are very human responses to an encounter with Jesus, too. And certainly the rich young man in Mark 10 would have known both.
When I visit the segregation unit in a prison, I often experience the same responses in the people I see there. There are those who wish to talk, sometimes pray, and often share with me what they are reading that day; happy to be seen. But then there are some who simply want me to go away – shunning human contact through either pain or embarrassment. They would rather not be reminded that God is still on their case, whatever they have done. When Prison Fellowship Volunteers attend prison to lead a Bible Study, facilitate a Sycamore Tree course, or help with a Sunday service, we have the same effect.
Our presence says both ‘Jesus sees you,’ and also ‘He loves you.’ Those who have been involved in Sycamore Tree will know that when Jesus saw Zac, He immediately spoke to him out of love, even if what Zac may have felt was fear or guilt.
This year’s Prisons Week theme takes these two aspects of being seen and loved and draws them together for everyone affected by imprisonment, whether they work or live in prison, are victims of the behaviours of those in prison, are involved in administering justice, or have a relative who is affected. The normal human response to being told, ‘God is watching’ swings as I do from deep need of a helper, to fear of a judge. However, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus sees the rich young man and, with all of the compassion that is the person of Christ, loves him, offering the opportunity to join Him on the journey of faith. Sadly, the rich young man counts the cost to be too high, the offer of love and fellowship too little in comparison to what must be left. But, ‘Oh what needless joy we forfeit’ as the hymn writer says when we ignore the love of God offered to us.
Because Jesus does indeed look at us, and He loves us. He looks at all people in prison and loves them, He looks at every Volunteer, He looks at every judge, prison officer, chaplain, kitchen worker, member of gate staff, security governor, and loves us. His call of love is simply to follow Him on His journey into life.
I’d love to encourage you this Prisons Week to rise to that call. Know that in our time of need, when the climb seems too frightening or hard, or we are in the outside lane, experiencing a sense of real or imagined guilt, He sees us and He loves us. And this makes all the difference. Let us respond this Prisons Week as we pray for others, but also for ourselves that in faith we might continue to follow our Lord, secure in the knowledge that what might seem impossible for us, can always be overcome by God. We are indeed seen, and we are eternally loved.
Let us pray.
Rev Bob Wilson is Free Churches Faith Advisor to HMPPS and a Prisons Week Trustee.
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