Shackled and Chained

Shackled and Chained
John R. Petrilli

There he was. Just a few feet ahead of me. A patient visiting a medical center, just like I was. But he was so different. You see, he had two armed guards escorting him. Slowly he shuffled through the hallway, feet chained at the ankles, hands chained at the wrists. Here was a man so much like myself, yet so bound. He was no longer free to walk where he wanted to. Not free to do anything for that matter, other than what his guards allowed him to do.

It hit me like a lightning bolt. “Now there’s a picture of what sin does to our soul. It binds us, takes us captive, robs us of our spiritual freedom.” Jesus said it like this, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; He has sent Me to preach deliverance to the captives, and to set at liberty those who are bound” (Luke 4:18 NKJV). Remember the man infested with an entire legion of demons? Far worse than the human bondage men had chained him with was the spiritual shackles that bound his soul. But one brief encounter with Jesus and he was totally and permanently set free! (Luke 8:26-39) How about that poor woman with the eighteen-year crippling disability? Was she not bound as well? Jesus said she was. “So ought not this woman … whom Satan has bound – think of it - for eighteen years – be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? (Luke 13:16).

Bondage is by no means limited to those held in custody by authorities. Everyone is born into the world in a state of spiritual bondage far worse than any chain of man. But the good news is that the Son of God came to release us from that bondage…to set us completely free! “Most certainly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”

If you’ve ever experienced the liberating grace of God through forgiveness of your sins, you can do so today, right now. Simply admit that you’re a sinner who is totally incapable of freeing yourself, and allow Jesus to turn the key that sets you free. He’ll forgive you and set you free … forever!