The Outcast: Victory Series, Part 52
Don't we often find ourselves as outcasts? Our addictive sins make us
despicable in our own eyes and we wonder how God can even care for sinners like
us. How can a holy God ever love someone like us? We sure can identify with Ps
22:6a: "But I am a worm and not a man..." NIV, which, by the way, is a reference
to how Jesus felt when He was hanging on the cross.
But then our eyes open wide when we read the Scriptures: "Therefore, there is
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Rom 8:1 NIV) "NO
condemnation!" I am not condemned after all, once I have accepted Jesus into my
life! Jesus carried all of our condemnation to the cross. He carried our shame,
our self-condemnation as well as the condemnation of others. It is His gift to
us. Why should we even consider carrying it all over again? Wouldn't that be a
mockery to the One who freed us from that condemnation?
"...scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl
insults, shaking their heads..." (Ps 22:6b-7 NIV) He became the outcast so that
we didn't have to linger in self-condemnation!
Let me illustrate this: On one of the only days when we experienced a snowstorm
this past winter, our snow blower ate a newspaper before it had even made a
single round of the driveway. My son had taken the path of the most snow, and
buried underneath it all was an ordinary newspaper, thrown out onto our driveway
to be read at our leisure.
Now why would our snow blower eat such a thing? Didn't it know it was created to
throw snow, not newspapers? Or maybe it wanted to be hype with the latest news?
But whatever the reason, the deed was done. It burped, its stomach mumbling
noisily and it stopped in its track, dead at the end of our long driveway, and
it had to be transported back in our garage. I could imagine how it must have
felt, if it had feelings: "I am useless! I am not worthy of the care I get! No
one will ever love me again! I am an outcast, good for the dump!
But instead our snow blower found itself surrounded by four eager attendants,
all determined to release it from its addictive trend of newspaper-eating.
But this time the snow blower had really gone too far. The newspaper was stuck
so badly that it wouldn't come out. And the cold didn't help matters, either!
Using pliers, screwdrivers and anything metallic at hand, we performed surgery
for hours, until our fingers literally were devoid of life. I was even
successful in drawing my own blood. Oh well! Who needs a thumb anyway?
With my blood pouring over everything, we had no choice but to take a break, and
the poor machine must have thought we had given up on it. But we hadn't. First
thing I did after a good night sleep was slip out into the garage and tinker
away, praying and persisting at my task at hand.
The snow blower eventually was freed from all the debris it had inhaled, but the
trauma had caused damage. It could no longer turn its blades. Its addiction had
hurt it deeply. But this, too, was quickly remedied by a trip to the mechanic,
where its belts were tightened. It returned home as good as new.
The same is true for us! God will not give up on us until we are completely
freed from our addictive traits! He cares! He does require our cooperation,
however. We need to let Him perform the necessary surgery. We also need to
accept the fact that "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus". Pity parties are over. We can enjoy the road to recovery!
Do snow blowers tend to eat bikes as well? I can't seem to find my bike. Help!
Rob Chaffart