While exploring Nassau, Bahamas, we discovered many abandoned, boarded up
homes. What used to be comfortable living quarters were transformed into
something undesirable, even to tourists!
Life is often like these uninhabitable dwellings. Our lives often seem, at first
anyway, to be quite comfortable. We are eager to reach for the moon and to leave
our mark for all to see. Sooner or later however, lethal habits called sin start
to board us up in our own home. The more we meddle with that cursed three-letter
word, the more we find ourselves isolated from the rest of the world.
It is as if each time we spend time with the illicit lovers mentioned in this
series, a board appears and is mysteriously nailed across one of the entrances
or windows of our home. Bang, Bang, BANG… and it gets darker and darker. You try
to switch the light on, but for some reason, both the electricity and the phone
are dead. We find ourselves cut off and alienated from people we used to call
friends. Family members become estranged as well, and little by little we find
ourselves wondering if love even exists in this world.
How did this happen?
In all reality, we are the ones who have shut ourselves in, isolated ourselves
from fully experiencing love and freedom. Sin is vicious. Sin keeps us captive
until the end of our days.
Is there no hope for us?
There is! Only One insists on knocking on the boarded-up doors of our homes.
Only one knocks relentlessly on the boarded-up windows of our hearts. But He
cannot enter unless we invite Him in!
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20 NIV)
We hear Jesus knocking but we tend to be standoffish. Hey, we have been used so
many times in our lives. Jesus seems to be too good to be true! What if He's
some kind of a Spam message, One that leaves us even worse off than our current
condition? We don't want to be tricked into anything new. There may be nothing
more than a trickle of light left in our lives, but we staunchly try to stay in
control!
But what do we really have to lose? Remember Nick, the alcoholic down the
street? Remember how he abused all those around him? Remember him? What happened
to him? Why is he a changed man? How was he able to give up on his dear alcohol?
How come people now love him?
And what about Dick, renown all over town as the "wild beast". No girl was ever
safe around him! Somehow all of them eventually fell for him, only to end up
being abandoned by him for greener pastures. It wasn't his fault that there was
so much competition out there, was it? What happened to Dick? Why did he give up
his vicious passion? Why is he no longer looking for greener pastures? Why has
his life changed for the better and why is he now respected by everyone in town?
Is it possible that Jesus is much more than what we think He might be? Is there
more to Him than we realize? What do we really have to lose? Why not try Him out
and find out who He truly is?
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news
to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery
of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may
have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)
Tired of living in a boarded-up home? Why don't you let the Master repairer in?
He can bring light back into you life! He can fill it with real love once again!
What are we waiting for?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.