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“Miracle in Cell No. 7” is a 2019 Philippine film directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval. The film is based on the 2013 South Korean film of the same name directed by Lee Hwan-kyung. The original film was based on the real-life story of a man who was tortured and pleaded guilty under duress to the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl on September 27, 1982 in Chuncheon before being finally exonerated in November 2008.

In the plot, Joselito “Lito” Gopez is a mentally impaired man with the intellect of a six-year-old. He lives in a run-down house in Marikina River along with his daughter Yesha. One day, he gets into a physical altercation with the Defense Secretary Yulo, who has just purchased the last Sailor Moon backpack for his daughter, a gift Lito was saving up to buy for Yesha. Soon after, Secretary Yulo’s daughter tries taking Lito to a store that sells the same backpack and dies in a freak accident, in which she slips because of the wet pavement and suffers a fatal blow in the head. Lito tries to resuscitate her, but a bystander mistakenly thinks he is molesting her. Lito is falsely accused of the kidnapping, murder and rape of a minor. Lito is imprisoned and assigned to Cell No. 7, the harshest cell in a maximum security prison.

In prison, he was hated initially for murdering a minor, but a string of good, life-saving deeds later endeared him to a prison gang leader and warden, who realized he was merely forced into making a false confession. They set out to help him fulfill his greatest wish of seeing his daughter.

At the trial, Lito confessed he committed the crime, under duress, after a threat was issued on his daughter. He was later executed.

Years later, Yesha, who became a lawyer, gathered her father’s former inmates to testify at her late father’s retrial, which resulted in his acquittal. She then imagined her father dancing with their signature dance.

Lito confessed to a crime he did not commit, just to keep Yesha safe; and was executed!

He paid the ultimate price for his daughter, because he loved her. She returned the love by doing everything to honor him, posthumously.

Jesus paid that same price for us, because He loves us.

READ 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

 ^“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

Apostle Paul, addressing the Corinthians, did not hide the reason for the passionate, selfless and often dangerous missionary work they were involved in. He said,

“The love of Christ compels us.”(vs. 14)

Why? Because, “He who knew no sin became sin for us!”(vs. 21)

Yesha exonerated Lito, even though dead, because he loved her. Paul became an ambassador for  Christ because the love of Christ compelled him. I write to encourage others and bring people to Christ, because of the immense love Christ has shown me.

How has the love of Christ compelled you?

MEMORY VERSE

“For the love of Christ compels us… For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:14, 21)

QUESTIONS

1. Do you know you owe your life to the Love of Christ?  

2. Is the love of Christ compelling you to love Him, and bring others to Him?

PRAYER TIP

Almighty Father, You know all things. Please help us to take you by your word.

Written by:

BENNY MALM

For:

TESTIMONY DEVOTIONAL

URGENT CALL

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior, you need to do that now!

Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer” for guidance.

We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page. God bless you.

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We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission.