"Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to
death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? . . . You have been set
free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Rom 6:16, 18 NIV2)
Have you ever heard of wild parsnips? Unlike regular parsnips, this one is quite
undesirable.
I learned about wild parsnips during a recent trip to the most Northerly point
of Northern Michigan.
Interestingly enough, the plant is usually found where disturbances such as road
work occurs. The first year it produces a rosette with a fern-kind of leaf. The
following year it produces a beautiful flower comparable to a yellow Queen
Anne's lace.
I can imagine coming close to sniff it, for I enjoy beautiful flowers. However,
the consequences would be far from agreeable. This plant contains a sap that,
once in contact to the skin, as well as exposed to sunlight, produces severe
chemical burns and sores that make poison ivy look like a piece of cake. These
burns and sores can last up to 6 months. No wonder they consider this plant to
be a hazard to tourism!
Who in their right mind would even want to touch it, even if its flower is so
beautiful? We would be instantly enslaved to the consequences of its sap. Pure
torture, don't you think?
The same is true of disease. We become enslaved to the consequences of illness
as well.
It becomes even worse when we dabble in sin. It may look innocent and attractive
at first. "It's only for once," we may think, but before we know it, we find
ourselves enslaved. The more we try to get free, the more firmly it controls us.
How many don't ask themselves why they got into the sin in the first place, but
now it is too late.
The good news is, it's never too late! Unlike the wild parsnip, there is a
solution, and this solution is only provided by the One who willingly died for
us so that we could experience freedom. We have to accept Him to find that
freedom, however. Jesus' reality has to become greater than the reality of our
sin. Only then can we declare, "We have been set free!" Never to ever return to
that bondage!
Hey, did you notice that beautiful flower?
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.