“I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” – Colossians 4:18
At the end of his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul calls his faithful brothers and sisters in Christ to “remember my chains.” He wasn’t seeking their pity; he was trying to encourage those who might be suffering persecution for their faith as well. It was his way of reminding them of God’s grace even when things become incredibly difficult.
Every time I read Paul’s words here in this passage, I think about the chains that once held me captive in my own prison. They were not forged from iron, and no guard stood outside my door. But they were just as real. I was lonely, full of pride, full of fear, full of regret. I carried anger at myself for what I had become, and though I tried to convince myself that I was okay and in control, I knew deep down that I was bound. Bound to sinful habits I couldn’t break… bound to thoughts I couldn’t quiet. Bound to a version of myself that felt so far from the man God had created me to be.
But the same grace that met Paul in his prison met me in mine. And thankfully, Christ didn’t wait for my chains to fall off before He came near. He stepped into the darkness with me, spoke truth into my confusion, and gently (but firmly) broke the hold that sin had over my heart.
May we never forget who we were before Christ opened our eyes to His truth, and may we never take lightly the freedom we now have in Him. Let the memory of our chains keep us humble, keep us grateful, and keep us bold enough to stand firm no matter the cost—because the grace that sustained Paul in his prison is the same grace that sustains us today.
Amen.
Former Blackout Artist 