Chained Like Jacob Marley

Sure, I know. Christmas is over. However, since it is so fresh in our minds, you'll have to pardon the comparison I'm about to make (fa la la la laaaa, la la la la.....Oops, sorry! That just slipped out).

Ever since I was a child, I have absolutely loved the movie "A Christmas Carol." I've never found a version of it that I haven't enjoyed (and believe me, there are many versions). I love the whole Victorian era, the clothes and the language, but most of all, I love the message of the story. It's quite symbolic of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

 

The verse I'm using for meditation today is Romans 8:1-4:

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has FREED YOU from the power of sin that leads to death. ³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. 

When I read this verse, I think of Scrooge as he is visited by the ghost of Christmas future. This is the most fearsome ghost of all for Scrooge (and would probably be for most of us) and the visit proves to be the most agonizing one of the night. He is faced with his own "legacy" and the rapidly approaching death that promises to drag him into a deep, dark grave leading straight to a fiery hell.

 Source: www.public-domain-image.com

Not very assuring.

Remember Scrooge's deceased partner, Jacob Marley? When he first visited Scrooge to warn him of the three ghostly visits and to urge him to change his ways, Scrooge was completely freaking out. It was not because of the visit from Marley himself, but because of the magnitude of the chains he bore. They were extremely heavy, numerous, and loud. Marley had to drag them around for all eternity as a result of how he lived his life.

Source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net 

 

Now imagine those chains are yours as a result of your sin. The evil things you have done and the sin nature that has bound you in those chains is dragging you into a deep, dark grave leading straight to a fiery hell. Terrified, you're falling in darkness, dragged against your will farther and farther until, in desperation, you cry out to God asking for forgiveness for your sins.

SNAP!

You hear the deafening sound of metal breaking as you are suddenly jerked upward like you had just opened a parachute. The wind on your face as you fly upward and out of the grave is a welcome feeling. Your feet touch the ground and as your eyes adjust to the brightness of the sun, you are able to see that your chains are gone. You are FREE!

Now imagine you see the One who had the power to do that for you. What would you do?

This is how I envision what Jesus did for us. The question is: How do we respond?

Do we take it for granted and walk right back into a life of sin or do we see it for the precious gift that it is and turn away from sin to follow the Spirit? I am so grateful that I was given that second chance and that God offered me freedom when I deserved death. One of my favorite worship songs, "In Christ Alone," says:

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again

 

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me (PRAISE GOD!!!)
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ



This is what being a Christian means. It means that you turned from sin to follow the Savior and he broke your chains when you were powerless to save yourself. You are FREE!

That just makes you want to shout, doesn't it?!

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Saved by a....string?

God is love, but not the love we understand as humans. As powerful as human love can be, God's love is so deep and strong that it is unfathomable. We can't understand it.

1 John 4:7-10

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God -- for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  

The only reason we even have the ability to love is because we are made in the image of God. God made us to love Him and love each other. He demonstrated how love works Himself by sending His only Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission for our souls. He gave up someone who meant a lot to Him and allowed him to be abused, mistreated, and beaten for our sakes. His Son was perfect! He commited no sin and yet He died for our sin. He took the blame, shame, and responsibility for us. He took the punishment that should have been ours (we are the ones who deserve it, after all) so we didn't have to.

That is love as well.

Because of the love of the Father and the love of the Son, we are free from the bondage of sin, death, and eternal punishment. What do we get instead? God! Heaven! Eternal LIFE!  Freedom! That's worth shouting about!

Some might say, "Yeah, but love is never free. There are always strings attached." While I can see why would may think that on the human level (I know I have thought that on many occasions), God's strings are much different. Here's what God wants from you....He wants you to:

1. Tell him that you know you've sinned and that you are truly sorry.

2. Turn away from your sins and ask God to forgive you and be the Lord of your life.

3. Believe that Jesus died for your sins and accept His gift of grace and love.

It's true that love comes with strings sometimes. Some strings bind you to things you don't need or want. The strings with God's love are like the very strings that pull you to safety when you're drowning in the sea. These strings bring life, healing, and never-ending love from an infinite, holy God.

I can't imagine why He would love me. I know what a mess I am at times and I know that many times, I fail Him. I have been mean, ungreatful, rebellious, and disrespectful to Him. I have sinned and fallen short of His desires for me. I have been so thick-headed that at times I thought God would have to hit me over the head with a brick to get through my thick skull. And yet, He loves me. He loved me first which is why I even have the ability to come to Him and apologize for my random acts of selfishness and stupidity. Every time I mess up, God is there and always ready to offer forgiveness and restoration.

It's when you look at God's love that you realize that you don't know as much about love as you thought. Holy Father, please teach me more about your love and help me to love You and others better.