Through Prison to Freedom

“He brought me forth also into a large place.”

Psa xviii. 19.

THESE words came into my mind some weeks ago when I was sailing up the Thames. It was to me an unfamiliar stretch of waters. Everything was strangely beautiful. The trees that lined the river banks; the frequent glimpses into the recesses of dark woods; the occasional breaking of the lines, and the surprising vistas of open country; the play of the waterfowl; little children paddling here and there, and their shouts of joy; in quieter places the songs of birds! It was very beautiful. And then we left it all and were shut up in a lock. We were imprisoned within stone walls and iron gates. Not a green thing could be seen. Not a bird could be heard. But in our imprison-

26 Through Prison to Freedomment we began to rise. Shut in, we began to be lifted up; until, when we reached the appointed height, the forward gate swung open and we continued our journey on a higher level.

And all this became the parable of common experiences in human life. Who does not know God’s locks along the river? / Who has not had the surprises of being seemingly taken away from joyful progress between the green and happy banks and shut up within black and clammy stones? At such seasons it seems as though we have passed from joyful movement to depressing stagnancy. But in reality the movement has only changed. We have ceased to go on and we have begun togoup. We have been lifted into heavenly places in Christ Jesus. God has redeemed us into higher levels, and when freedom has been restored we find that He has brought us out into a large place. The lock was the minister of elevation. The place of imprisonment was the birthplace of a larger life.

Sometimes we have been shut up within the stony prison of a gloomy disappointment. Our ambitions have been checked. Our radiant boat has been stayed. And the

Through Prison to Freedom 27

song has died away. But God has used the dark home of disappointment to minister to another kind of progress. We begin to realise more clearly the ‘‘ upward calling in Christ Jesus.”” Ambition is changed into aspiration. We rise to higher things. Wonderful deliverances have been wrought in the chill season of disappointment, and God has brought us forth into a larger place. ‘‘ The things that happened unto me have turned out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel.”

Or it may be that we have been shut up in the narrow lock of sickness, All the ordinary movements in life have stopped. And it seemed to be such a waste. Just to lie on one’s back!’ And then the “‘ upward”’ ministries began to lay hold of us, the wonderful things which are from above. And we rose to higher levels of thinking, and feeling, and praying. More of Christ came into our lives, and more Christ-communion. There was more thoughtfulness, and more gentleness, and more vision. And when God opened the gate on the further side, and let us out again, we could certainly sing with the Psalmist, ‘“‘In my distress Thou hast enlarged me.”