The Captives

2009-09-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

For so many, our hearts are held hostage in this condemning world. When I walk down the street, through the mall, in the park, and even in the church, I hear the loud clank of chains that hold SO MANY captives. These chains sneak up on us with no recognition of ever being locked in place, as if this little invisible creature were slowly and steadily adding one chain link to another and then, before we know it, our hearts are in bondage. Our way of life becomes altered. Logic is overruling passion, pleasure-morality, circumstance-truth. Somehow, the things we esteemed become forgotten. The values we once held become relative.
But among the numerous captives, there are those who shout out for freedom. Those who cry out for the chains to be removed. Their hearts are exposed and bleeding, laying before the world. Their passion has been trampled by logic. All the pleasures of the world have left them in darkness, alone, suffering and chained.
Some captives have a particular hardness about them. Their hearts have been fossilized in stone. Their very presence brings a thick chill throughout the room. Compassion is unheard of and why wouldn't it be? The situation doesn't affect their life. Honesty is defined by twisting the truth. Integrity is an illusion based on a false reality. Love? That's a word given to manipulate. Their chains are so burdensome that darkness overpowers them and they are left alone, suffering and chained.
Other captives do not seem to be captives at all. Their chains are not evident to everyone and sometimes anyone. They appear to be warm, caring, truthful, considerate. They have others best interest in their mind. People flock to them wanting just to be near them. Love and value are their guards but, with a deeper look, there is the faint click, click, click of their chains. Bondage is whispering in their ear. Depression, anxiety, pride, greed, fear, lust is yelling from the roof tops. When they go into their closet to examine their heart, they find themselves alone, suffering and chained.
I am convinced these chain links are built from the wounds that lay deep in our hearts. Every soul that walks this earth has had a few chain links! No one is disqualified! Some wounds are opened and bleeding, others are covered in layers of callous. Some have so many wounds that to open even one would seem detrimental for fear of a volcanic explosion. I am grieved for the hearts of the people!
There are cries going out everywhere shouting "FREEDOM!" Some have lost hope, withdrawing and closing up. Others are frantically searching, hoping, waiting. Is there any relief from the wounds we bear? Any relief from the chains that pull us to the depths of the earth? Do the many cries land on deaf places leaving us exhausted and alone? Where can the captives turn? Is there any hope?!?
In the darkness there is silence. The stillness lay so thick and heavy on many hearts. Nothing seems to move. All is completely dead...

Awake Dead!! Your heart is not of waste! BEHOLD! The risen Lamb of God! See Him there? The blood is running down his head where the thorns pierced His brow. His hands and feet wear the evidence of the crucifix. Clothed in a white robe, He shines with such a brilliance that permeates all heaven and earth. He is looking at you. See Him there? His eyes are so tender, filled with compassion and His tears- His tears pour down as He looks at the wounds that have infected your heart. Deep sorrow echoes through His being. Never saying a word, He lifts up His arms, reaching to the Father...
And there you see it... The chains that you have bore for so long, those heavy, painful chains- He's wearing them. Draped over His arms, His chest, each one bearing into His flesh. He holds them up and shouts out "You're Free!!"
And as you look down you realize the bondage that held you so tight for so long is gone. He took it! You are free! But why? Why would He do such a thing?
Because He loves you more deeply than you could ever imagine or dream possible with a love that is completely foreign to you. And He desires more than anything for you to know that love too. Can you see Him?

"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." -Revelation 22:17

Have you ever clung to something for dear life? I was reading Mark 10 and was struck at how much I related to the rich man. It starts out with the rich man seeking Jesus. I can imagine this man hearing and contemplating Jesus's words for some time, possibly hours, days, weeks. I can imagine the young man's heart being so overwhelmed at the possibility that the words he heard from Jesus might be true. He was moved so much that he finally came to a point that he wanted this truth, this salvation, this love so much, that he had to go, to run, find Jesus, no matter how far or how long the journey to see him, to find him, to know him, to know what he could do to inherit life, to not only find rest or peace from the burdens he's bearing but to find life that only the Father can bring. Life that he's never known but that he is so thirsty for.
Or maybe this man has been in the crowd for days, watching Jesus, contemplating all he hears. After all, he's grown up in the church, knowing and keeping the commands he is taught. But there is something different about this Jesus and what He's saying. Something restful about His presence. Oh how he longs for that rest! His heart is broken and his reservoir is dry. He deeply thirsts for the water of life and the breath of love Christ is offering him. He is moved to run, not walk, but run to Jesus in desparation pleading to know what he can do to recieve this salvation. But he had to hurry because Jesus was leaving. His hope, his thirst, the thing he desperately needed to know was leaving. So he went running. Reaching Jesus, he knealt. Almost as if he were placing his very soul at the feet of this man who gave him a glimmer of hope. With his breath panting, exhaustion and desperation in his voice, on his knees he cried out, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
I find it interesting that even though this man does not know Jesus, Jesus knows him. Jesus says "Why do you call me Good? No one is Good except God alone." He's implying the rich man, as much as he longs to know God, doesn't know who is standing before Him. He knows this rich man. He knows his thirst, his hunger, his burdens, and his pain. He knows the depths of his heart. He was there as this man was being formed piece by piece with each intricate detail being carefully and wonderfully put together. He formed this man in the image of God. He loved this man deeply. I think that when Jesus looked at him, he felt this love for him. Jesus, knowing he had kept all the commandments revealed to him the deepest fear in his heart. The fear that lies in the depths of his pain that consumed his heart and his very being.
I can imagine Jesus looking at this man with an intense love and an intense passion but also, being God, a deep sorrow, knowing the result this stronghold would give. And with kind and gentle words telling him the one thing he lacked. Sorrow as God, understanding and pain as human, He portraited to this man what he needed to do to inherit His kingdom. Jesus tells him what he must do, sell and give, then gives him an alternative, he'll have treasures in heaven, then gives him an invitation to follow Him.
I can just imagine that, as Jesus was speaking, the walls began to crumble and the hope that he tasted fell and shattered into a billion pieces. He was not only saddened as he walked away but grieved. I can picture him weeping. Grieving because he lost something he never even had. Something he only longed for, hoped for. I wonder if he felt teased. Being so close to having complete rest, salvation, hope, a water that never ran dry, then, feeling like it was being taken away, put way out of reach for him to just look at but never grab hold of. I think of an unborn baby and the process of a miscarriage. The anger that comes when a little life brings joy, excitement, hope and love and the possibilities of the future with this life, a glimpse of God's majestic love being suddenly ripped away from you. Your hope is shattered and you're left wondering why. Why was this hope just given and then taken away, leaving the parents, this rich man devestated. Unlike the parents, the rich man had a choice. The hardest choice he would probably ever face. I'm guessing his riches were the only thing he could cling too. They were the only thing that brought stability. Without his riches, he would have nothing. He's clinged to them for so long that the thought of letting them go would bring pure fear. If he let them go, he would no longer have control over anything in his chaotic world. He would probably be rejected by everyone he knew. And for what? The possibility of treasure in heaven? The possibility of salvation from something that may or may not be real? What if it wasn't real? NO, the risk was to great. He couldn't possibly give up his only security to what he knows to be real (this life, this time, this place) for a possibility. Oh, but he longed for that rest. That place he could go to be completely satisfied where his thirst could be quenched and his longings met. But in his young life, he's never seen such a place. If he felt anything like me, he would've resisted in fear. What if he decided to go with this and Jesus walked out on him, leaving the pain in his heart that burned like fire? The depth of pain would be unimaginable and unbearable. To just sell everything he's ever known, everything he's working/worked so hard to build, every security and comfort he holds dear, to let it go, give it up, without knowing the outcome...there was to much fear, fear of untolerable pain.
As I'm on my pathway to healing, I find myself in this same spot. I'm resisting so many things, trust, truth. All because of the fear of pain. Why am I so afraid of pain? Why does my chest hurt everytime I think of the possibility of my heart being hurt? I feel like I'm clinging to a branch when I know I should let go. I picture hanging on to this tiny branch at the top of the cliff, dangling miles into the air. I am terrified of heights so I would probably be clinging to this branch with everything in me. I can look down and see peaceful waters. Water as calm and still as glass. But the miles of air space is what terrifies me. Letting go and falling uncontrollably, not knowing what might hit me in the air or how I'm going to breath while falling, knowing it's a really long way down and there's no oxygen tank. :) Even though I want to let go so bad, despite the fear of the unknown, I cannot move my fingers. I've been clinging to this branch for so long the muscles in my fingers are frozen and won't budge. It reminds me of a man who has lost feeling and use of his hand. His fingers are curled up and never unfold. To open them, someone has to pry them open with their own hands. Like this mans inability to open his fingers is my inability to let go of this branch. I know nothing but this branch that I've clung to for so long. What I long for is waiting below me. What is this branch that I cling too? It's not Christ. I have hope because I can see it below but what is the branch? Is it my own self-protection? Is it pride? What is it? I am an adultress with this branch. It has been the place of Christ in my life, my security, my stronghold. My peace and my raging storm. It's been my rest and my combat zone. It's been a lie.
This branch can break at any moment, leaving me with false security, false rest, false peace, and false hope. I do not want to walk away like the rich man did, leaving the peaceful waters to cling to his tiny twig. I want to let go and jump into the life in that peaceful bliss. To find true rest, true peace and the calming stillness of love... One finger at a time.

The Calming Storm

Have you ever?

The Captives

One Finger At A Time