Misery and Chains

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Misery and Chains

 

(September 17) 

Have you ever wandered the aisles of greeting card store, looking for the perfect card to express your feelings?  Long before there were greeting cards we were given the Psalms, so that words might be found to express our hearts.  Here is one such passage:

 

 

There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains, 

(11)  Because they had rebelled against the words of God And spurned the counsel of the Most High. 

(12)  Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; They stumbled and there was none to help. 

(13)  Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. 

(14)  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death And broke their bands apart. 

(15)  Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men!

Psa 107:10-15 NASB 

 

Chains are still used to bind the prisoner, but for most of chains do not come in the form of steel links. 

· There are the chains others fasten upon us.  The wife who finds that her stable marriage of yesterday has become the chain of adultery today; the parents wondering how their child could have wandered into crime—these are heavy chains.

· There are the chains we fasten upon ourselves.  The search for the perfect body, the perfect house, the perfect job—the chains of failure to be perfect. 

· There are the chains of sin, fastened upon us by God so that we might learn humility and repentance.

 

Chains do not remove themselves.  Such chains can only be removed by Christ:

· Who but the One who paid the price for our sins can be our peace?  We are ambassadors of reconciliation, with good cause.

· Who but the One who knows the deepest of agonies can reach into our hearts and bring us peace?

· Who but the One who is our atonement can break the chains of sin?

 

In this time and place you meet the Christ, sharing in His body and blood.  Commit your troubles to Him; commit your worries to Him; bring your sins to His healing blood.  Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you—even to the point of the Cross.