The Power of the Gospel

In Chapter 1 of "Loving God", Colson tells the story of prisoners who come to Christ through Prison Fellowship, a ministry Colson started after he got out of federal prison. The reason I love this book so much is for the true stories that Colson tells about how God changed people's lives. In the first chapter we meet a person named Sam Casalvera, who "had been sentenced to life without parole. Sam was tough, his huge, muscled arms testifying to hours of weight lifting. His defiant gaze told me prison--even solitary confinement--had not broken his spirit."
That was his first meeting with Sam. Nine months later, on Easter, Colson went back to that Delaware prison he met a different Sam.
"Same rose, wearing the broadest grin I'd ever seen; it was obvious he was not the same rebellious convict I'd met in solitary nine months earlier. I didn't need to ask what had happened.
Sam cleared his throat and began reading:
    I heard you were coming to worship once more
    With souls who were floundering when you came before.
He hesitated, took a deep breath, and continued.
    We had direction but needed a push
     You made us a promise and also a wish.
Sam paused to take a wrinkled cloth from his pocket and dad his eyes,
    Your promised was kept---Prison Fellowship you sent
     Whatever I write can't tell you what it meant.
     Some who attended made your wish come true
     They gave their life to Jesus, as you did too."
Colson continues;
"Men and women in prison don't cry. It's a sign of weakness, and weakness can be dangerous in prison. But Same could not control his emotions. Tears flowed down his cheeks and his broad shoulders heaved.
I rose and walked to the front of the hall, put my arm around his shoulders, and took the paper from him. For a moment I thought I would dissolve along with Same, but somehow I was able to read the remaining lines of his poem."
That story never happens unless God had, in Colson's words, "only when I lost everything I thought made Chuck Colson a great guy had I found the true self God intended me to be and the true purpose of my life."
You see, Colson had bought the world's bill of goods of what makes life important and meaningful. Outwardly, he had it all. Plenty of money, political power and influence, fame. God took all that away and sent him to prison to see what his real purpose in life was and because of it, millions of prisoners have stopped being shackled by their spiritual chains and are new creations in Christ.
Colson's writes, "My greatest humiliation---being sent to prison--was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life."
He finishes Chapter 1 with these great words, "It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us. God doesn't want our success; He wants us. He doesn't demand our achievements; He demands our obedience. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self."
And to that I say Amen and Amen.