DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FREE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FREE

"Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:11-14)

I recently read the book entitled, Unbroken. It is the story of Louie Zamperini, who was a bombardier during WW II in the South Pacific. His plane was shot down by the Japanese, and after drifting for over 40 days in a life-raft, he was captured by the Japanese and interred as a POW. He spent three years as a POW in various prisons. One guard he encountered in several of the camps was extremely vicious and brutal. He was called "The Bird" and unleashed his anger without provocation. He seemed to have a special hatred for Mr. Zamperini, and focused his attention on making life especially difficult for Louie. Somehow, Louie endured all of the suffering under the hand of The Bird. When the war was finally over, and his prison camp was liberated, there was jubilant celebration by the POWs. As the book describes it, "In the midst of the running, celebrating men, Louie stood on wavering legs, emaciated, sick, and dripping wet. In his tired mind, two words were repeating themselves, over and over. 'I'm free! I'm free! I'm free.' " No longer would he face the brutality of The Bird.

That is the testimony of the Christian who has been freed from the tyranny of sin. Sin is a hard taskmaster, and makes life miserable for the person under its control.

Paul goes on to elaborate with the analogy of the slave. "When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life" (vss. 20-22).

As Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote: "I'm free from the fear of tomorrow. I'm free from the guilt of my past. I've traded my shackles for a glorious song. I'm free, praise the Lord, free at last."

Love, Dad