Psalm 107:10-11
Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High.
Psalm 107:14
He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom. He snapped their chains.
Sin/addiction is a prison without walls or bars.
No guards....
No one watching over you.
You live within your own thoughts (at least we thought it was living).
Thoughts that are defined by what you've done.
We view our self worth based on our past behavior.
Guess how that turns out?
"I'm a terrible, low life because of what I've done."
This prison of sin/addiction is as real as the chair I'm sitting in right now.
You know what the weird part in all of this is?
You can't see it...
If you were to walk down the street of any city, you could spot some who would be residents of this facility, but not all would be evident.
You see the prison doesn't stop movement in daily life...
It just defines the quality of that life.
It dictates movement and effort.
Everyday spent in this prison saps the very life out of you, till your beat down and left for dead.
Now imagine being locked up in a prison like this, and there right next to you is the key that would free you.
The key has been there all along.
It wasn't hidden from you.
It wasn't disguised or hard to find.
It has been there since day one of your imprisonment.
But we wouldn't take it because we'd convinced ourselves that we didn't really need the key.
To put it bluntly, we rebelled against our only way out of this prison.
The key?
Oh, that would be Jesus.
Sounds to simple doesn't it?
But it's the truth.
Even Jesus proclaimed to his bunch of followers..."Hey guys! I am the way, the truth and the life....I will be the door through which you must go if you want to have freedom in a relationship with God the Father."
Isn't it weird that prison cells only have one door?
Maybe.....just maybe...this "one door" is a symbol for Jesus.
We made the decision to enter this prison.
We weren't forced or held at gunpoint.
We went willingly. Truth be known, if you run against the desires Jesus has for us, he will turn us lose so we can go chase the wind of sin/addiction. So we enter the prison by our own choice.
Once inside, we find that we cannot break out no matter how hard we try.
We scheme...
We manipulate...
We cry and whine...
We make promises...
We even try to clean ourselves up...
But we still remain an inmate of the inner prison.
You know, a wise man once told me that when it comes to breaking free of addiction will only happen when "You're sick and tired of being sick and tired."
When you take your eyes off of yourself and start looking for that key that will unlock your cell.
Psalm 107:13-16
"Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom. He snapped their chains. Let them praises the Lord for his great love,and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he broke down their prison gates of bronze. He cut apart their bars of iron.
Now that's my Jesus!
Chain breaking....
Wall busting......
Door opening....
Freedom giving Jesus that will set you free when you turn to him.
What's that sound?
What is I hear?
Could it be the sound of a key turning the lock to a cell?
Freedom!
God on you...
mbb
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