Bound in chains

I encountered a woman whose contractor friend had done some work for a relative of mine. The whole thing had an unsatisfactory ending. The work done was below par and the contractor was dismissed. This woman obviously didn’t know all the details but had information which was one-sided. When I greeted her she spewed hate and told me that I should be ashamed to greet her after what my relative had done to her friend. I was so shocked. I didn’t say a word. About 10 minutes before this incident I had heard the Holy Spirit say the following to me, “Just observe, don’t say a word.” I realized that it was meant for this situation.

I looked at the woman’s expression and wondered what she must be feeling like every day walking around with this hate inside of her. I prayed that God would forgive her and also reveal Himself to her. If she perseveres in this frame of mind she is going to get really sick.

Titus 3:3, For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, lining in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

The wonderful part of becoming a new person is that it is free. We are given the gift of salvation freely because God loves us while we are ungrateful, stinking, dirty wretches. He loves us even though we hate, lie, steal and cheat. While we are really, really bad and disobedient God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that we can have the chance to be redeemed.

People don’t easily believe the idea of getting something for nothing. They are used to paying their way and they know that everything has a price. People can’t see the logic behind someone loving them even though they have been really bad, and then giving them the chance to repent without payment. They think things like, “I have to be good first. I have to change my bad habits first. I have to stop drinking first,” then God will accept me. They can’t believe that God gave His son as the sacrifice, as the payment so that they will not pay a cent. There’s no cash on delivery, no catch.

All they have to do to receive complete freedom is to know that they are sinners and to accept Jesus as their Saviour so that they can be renewed inside and out and start living a brand new life.

This new life is what everyone craves. The freedom in knowing that someone else has our backs and we are actually commanded not to be concerned about our future. The freedom of knowing that every atrocious act is forgiven unconditionally and the knowledge that we have to forgive those who hurt us so that we can stay free. It sounds like a fairy tale. Like a happily ever after. It sounds like that and in a way it is. There is the assurance that whatever happens Jesus is with you. Day in and day out. There is also the other side of the coin that says we will go through hard times and we will be persecuted.

John 15:18 – 20, If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.

So, we aren’t going to have a fairy tale, bed-of-roses life, but we are going to be free from the cares that weigh down people who don’t know Jesus.

And we have been given the commission to spread the source of this freedom around the world. Our job is to present this freedom to people who have been bound in chains and kept in dark cells. We are the light and we are to bring the light of Jesus to others. No condemnation. Only Jesus.