00:00And, of course, the thing that matters most is where we stand in our relationship with God.
00:05The Apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.
00:09He said, I delivered unto you that which was of first importance.
00:15And that is why we are here today, my friend, to take a little time away from our life and
00:21our regular responsibilities.
00:23It's to do the same thing, to deliver unto you that which is of first importance.
00:33Well, what is it? You're leaving me on a cliffhanger here.
00:39What is it that you're trying to declare to me?
00:46Are you serious?
00:50Oh, the cliffhanger! The cliffhanger!
00:53Oh, wow, that's it.
00:55I thought this thing, uh, I don't want to start.
00:58I didn't charge it last night.
01:00Maybe I think it's because it's in the sun.
01:03Oh, yeah, I can feel the heat right there.
01:07All right, well, let's see if it's down.
01:09All right, bro.
01:10No, no, no, listen, you're fine. That's okay.
01:12I can freaking down it.
01:28Today's poem is called My Son is in Prison by Christopher Alan McGinnis.
01:31My son is in prison.
01:33The walls are higher than the highest walls of any prison ever built.
01:37There are vicious, unforgiving razor wires on top.
01:41The walls have all been whitewashed.
01:43There is no visible means of escape.
01:45Should he ask what's on the other side of the wall, he is hit with a force far greater than
01:49any cattle prod or taser.
01:51He is then put into an isolation cell.
01:54He learns quickly, never to ask.
01:55His mother built the prison.
01:56His mother built the walls.
01:58His mother placed all the bricks in just the right places.
02:00His mother whitewashed the walls to create the facade of pure, perfect love.
02:05Her tongue is sharper than any known razor wire.
02:07Her piercing words are more powerful than any cattle prod or taser.
02:12His innocent heart becomes his isolation cell where he cowers in turmoil as it pounds and pounds,
02:19waiting for his mother's affection to unlock the door and release him from his pain.
02:25He did a really, really bad thing.
02:28He wanted to know what was on the other side.
02:31He failed the loyalty test.
02:33He asked the wrong questions.
02:34He mentioned the forbidden topic, dad.
02:37But wait, there's hope.
02:39Never give up.
02:41Never give up.
02:43Never give up.
02:46Never, never, never, never, never, never give up on hope.
02:49I believe and visualize one day someone's words, a situation, or experience will trigger my son to secretly build a
02:56little ladder.
02:57It doesn't have to be a big, tall ladder.
02:59Any ladder will do.
03:00He will take it to the wall, stand it up, and lean it against the wall.
03:03He will take his first step onto the first rung of that ladder.
03:08As he does, the whitewash will bleach away into the prison ground skirt.
03:12It will reveal a worn and cracked wall full of holes.
03:17Through the holes, he will glimpse a light, the light of truth.
03:20And so, he will then take his other foot and place it on the second rung of the ladder.
03:27It will be the first time in his life that both feet have left the prison grounds.
03:31Suddenly, the massive wall will simply give way.
03:34It will crumble.
03:35It will come crashing down.
03:38My son will lie there, stunned, bruised, bleeding, and scarred.
03:45But he will be on the other side of the wall.
03:48He will be free.
03:49And I will be there to offer my hand to help him to his feet.
03:53His dad.
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