God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.
Colossians 1: 13-14 The Message
I’m sure we have all heard funny stories about men who didn’t want to stop for directions, and then ended up lost with their wives saying, “I told you so!” I suspect the invention of GPS and smartphones have helped to make those experiences rare. Nonetheless, I’m sure we have all gotten lost at one point or another in our lives.
When we arrive unexpectedly at a dead-end or a cul de sac, there is nothing to do but turn around. We realize that we need to go another way in life. If we miss the signs that say “dead end”, or “no outlet”, we realize that we are going to have to backtrack. We will lose precious time, simply because we did not pay attention to the signs. We eventually get back to where we started, but only after wasting time, money and even needless wear and tear on our vehicle.
Sin is often likened to getting off track. Even a simple wrong turn (sin), can foolishly send us in a terrible direction. Hopefully, we will realize our mistake, and turn around before it is too late. Later, it can be helpful to see where things began to go wrong, so that we can correct things in the future. Getting lost can be a humbling experience. Yet it one from which we can learn lessons for the future, if we are willing to see that a better road is built for us.
Who can break our pattern of endlessly going down dead-end streets, pursuing sin? Only Christ. The bible gives us a roadmap through life, but we must read it. The directions do not just float up to us when we do not open the pages. It is not enough to just have the scriptures sitting nearby. With a humble attitude, we must accept that we do not know it all, in order to begin the process of being rescued from sin in our life.
When we follow Jesus, we have the greatest hope of breaking sinful and destructive patterns in our life. Jesus is always watching out for us. If we pay attention to him, we will see Him directing us away from the routes which are dead-ends. Rather than watching us waste time going the wrong way, Jesus invites us to follow Him. Why? He is the way, the truth, and the life!
Jesus rescues us from our poor choices, our repeated sins, and lives without meaning. Sometimes we may not realize we need to be rescued until we have fallen into a dark pit. Even if we end up in that place, Jesus loves us so much that He will climb into that pit and help us get out. Whether we just stumble slightly, or fall completely, Jesus will help us. He will keep us from making the same mistakes over and over. In a world full of roads which end up leading nowhere, Christ offers us a clear path-the way to the Father, and a life with Him in heaven. Praise the one who lights up our darkness, and who always helps us find our way home.
Prayer
Jesus, our guide and friend,
Remind me to reach out to you, when I am conflicted about which way to go. Forgive me for not turning to you, for You know the world and those within it far better than I do. Be my guide. Keep me out of the rough places, the dead-end alleys, and the places which lead to death, rather than life. I pray this prayer in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
