Chains.

Why do we insist upon being in bondage?

I'll tell you why - because it makes us "feel" SAFE.

Go ahead, lock yourself up and throw away the key. Cower in your corners. Be the slave in the shadows. Granted - no warmth exists and the food is rotten - but there's nothing a little sleep can't cure, right?  In here, this prison, you have the assurance of seeing bars and chains everyday. No surprises. Four walls and the cold floor. At times you realize the Hell hole you are in, the labyrinth, the pit, the mire, the death.

But there's nothing a little sleep can't cure, right?

Right?

The Way, The Truth, and The Life has loosed your bonds, has flung open the cell door and is LOOKING-RIGHT-AT-YOU... and all you can do is cling to your chains.

Fear has a way of making no sense. You know? We are afraid of correction, so we remain weak and foolish. We are afraid of taking responsibility, so we find a way for the government to take care of everything. We are afraid of looking silly, so we follow the crowd. We're afraid of being misunderstood, so we decide not to communicate at all. We cry, "OH! OH! If only the world was made of LOVE!" But don't you know that there is no fear in love? "But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)" But we are so afraid, afraid, afraid!

We reek of fear sometimes! I swear, if fear had a stench, we'd be using the deodorant of Love more often.

.

.

I wrote this post because I've had enough. I've had enough of seeing people clinging to their chains, ESPECIALLY people who I KNOW are followers of The Living God.

At least when I see the people of the world digging their claws into their personal jail cells - be it their philosophies, wealth, drugs, social lives, whatever - at least I can easily see why they remain in bondage. These people are blind, what else do they know? They couldn't even see their cell door swinging on it's hinges it if hit them in the face. I haven't the power to take the blindfold off of their eyes. That's something only He does.

But who, in their right mind, would continue living in a moldy 'ol, stinky 'ol, creepy 'ol dungeon if they could see their beloved friend Jesus holding the open door and beckoning to them, "Come out of your sorrows and turmoil!"?

.

.

I'm guilty too. Every night, when I drive home from work in the dark evening, I simply can't sit in a quiet car all the way home - I either sing to myself or yell. This evening of February the 18th, it was the latter. There are many fears I have overcome, but still many more that I have not. This evening, I was so cross with myself for being a fool, for carrying-on with something I've been clinging to for a long, long time. I chastised myself like a mother does her disobedient toddler, "Amy Jarvis! You stop it this instant! You quit doing that to yourself! Stop it now!"

Funny how fear leads to anger. Guess Yoda had something there.

Suddenly, I realized the trap I was falling into. Was this anger going to get me closer to Christ? No. Was this anger going to accomplish anything worthwhile? No. Was this anger a direct result of my fear and lack of dependence on Christ? Yes. See, I was trying to take control of something that I couldn't control, all the while shouting angrily at myself, "CMON AMY! YOU KNOW ONLY GOD CAN HANDLE THIS!!!!" It was silly. It was emotional. It seemed like the dire straights at the time, but it was so, so stupid.

Guys, I can't tell you how overflowing with joy I am right now. I'm filled to the brim. I could hug the whole world, but I only have access to three dogs. Don't you realize why God let's us go through the terrible times? Because it refines us! AND IT WORKS. It's like gold in the fire: Take a lump of yellow stuff, put it on a metal stick thing, hold it over an incredibly hot fire for a while, burn out the impurities, and and over time... wow. Gleaming, glimmering GOLD.

When I was 10 years old, I had a bed. A regular looking bed with a comforter and my stuffed dog on top. One day, my parents decided to get my sister and I a bunk bed. I remember being overcome with emotion as tears welled up and panic attacked my nerves: I rushed to my room and tossed myself on that regular looking bed like I was a tree hugger in front of a logger truck. For some crazy reason, I had the notion that a bunk bed would be the most terrible thing in the world! Well, guess what? After much coaxing and demonstration by my parents, I realized that this bunk bed thing was pretty dern sweet! I could see everything in my room, and I could even touch the ceiling! It was amazing.

Look, following Christ is the same way guys. Fear is fear and love is love. No mingling, ok? While we still live in this fallen world, life is  going to be hard... but it's a joy. Try saying that in a prison cell.

Share the Freedom-----------