John 8:31-38
Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?"
Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! And slaves don't stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! I know that you are from Abraham's family. Yet you want to kill me, because my message isn't really in your hearts. I am telling you what my Father has shown me, just as you are doing what your father has taught you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One morning recently, Timothy woke up coughing and wheezing. He could barely get his breath. So my husband and I whisked him away to the ER, where a respiratory therapist tried to administer a breathing treatment… in the form of a mask that had a happy dragon face and smoke coming out. But Timmy did not understand, and he was in hysterics. He resisted the very thing that would free him from being unable breathe.
Even in his two-year-old mind, I think Timmy knew that the treatment was helping him, but he was a slave to his determination to fight us and resist the mask. Thankfully we were able to hold him still enough for a little bit, and the treatment helped greatly… and we think he will be fine. But I hope we don’t have to force another breathing treatment upon him any time soon!
We are so often the stubborn (or scared) two-year-old. Our sin is familiar. We don’t like anything that takes us outside of our “comfort zone,” even when we know it might help… and we are assured it won’t harm us in any way. God will never force Himself on us, so if we resist Him, we simply don’t get the “treatment” He offers for our sin. But if we will cooperate and trust Him, we can be free in ways we never imagined.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve hung onto some sins and sinful ways when I knew that “letting go and letting God” would be so much better. It’s the first step that is sometimes the hardest. But God understands. We tried to tell Timothy that it would all be okay… that nothing bad would happen to him. God is trying to tell us that, too… that what He offers will make us feel so much better. Are you ready to listen… and be free?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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