Lenten Reflections from the Executed: #499 Elroy Chester / June 12, 2013

*These reflections are taken from pieces of the last words of the last 40 persons executed in Texas.

Elroy Chester-

“A lot of people say I didn’t commit those murders, I really did it.”

Before he gave the Warden the go ahead, Elroy Chester wanted to make sure that everyone knew that he killed a number of people. Upon hearing Chester’s confession, it is easy to label him a monster and be done with it. The harder task is to see how you are like Chester. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus compares and equates murder and anger. How many times have you been angry?

In confession of your anger, I invite you to pray the last words of Elroy Chester:

“A lot of people say I didn’t commit those murders, I really did it.”

Amen.