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Hope Behind Bars

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives..."

• Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

Prison walls are thick, but they cannot keep out the love of God.

I can only imagine the loneliness, regret, and pain that imprisonment brings. To wake each day to the weight of past decisions must be humbling beyond words. Many would say, “They’re only getting what they deserve.” But the truth is – every life carries a story, and every story is one God longs to redeem.

We may not be able to fully grasp the journey of every inmate, but this we know with certainty: the Gospel has the power to change any heart.

I’ve seen footage of worship in prisons – men and women in jumpsuits, hands raised, voices lifted in praise. For a moment, the chains don’t matter. For a moment, they taste freedom.

But when the music fades, the bars remain. That’s why the freedom Christ gives is so precious - it cannot be locked away. No one can take your worship, your prayer, or your relationship with Jesus. That freedom is eternal.

This is why we at CBN UK are passionate about placing Bibles in prisons. A Bible is never just a book – it is the living Word of God. It whispers to the forgotten, “You are loved.” It lifts the broken hearted, reminding them, “You are not alone.” It brings healing, identity, and hope of salvation.

Every time we place Scripture into the hands of a prisoner, we give more than pages – we offer the chance of transformation, freedom, and eternity with Christ.

PRAY

Father God,

Thank you that your love penetrates even the hardest of hearts and heals even the most broken of stories. Where would we be without you, Lord? We worship you and give you praise for saving time after time, giving second and third and fourth chances to us when we fall short.

Lord, I ask that you personally would lay on my heart how I can practically or prayerfully support the people in my nation who are currently incarcerated. May I never have a heart that carelessly goes about my days and ways, forgetting that there are people in the world who need help. Who need You, Lord. Remind me of ways that I can be your hands and feet to the lost, the lonely and the least.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.