John 8
Face it. We all could be in danger of ending up murdering or perjuring without a Christ to keep those of us from it who believe and follow Him. I take Jesus’ word for it that if you do those things you are a slave to them. Whereas Jesus sets free from that slavery. Sorry to say I needed that setting free. This life is a reality you are stuck with. Unfortunately for me it started quickly down a wrong path. I tend to think I’m not the only one. He set me free from compulsive lying and exaggerating, out of youthful desires to be thought of highly. Now I hope His way is leading me to even greater freedom. You only need to start lying, hating, cheating a few years from now, if you haven’t already, and they will stick. Dying like that is not easy to avoid. Perhaps impossible to avoid except Jesus’ way. Road rage. Jealousy over a partner. Culpability in actions of associates. These things aren’t always avoidable. Having forever a helper in the highest echelons of power to intercede with the Top guy. That is what it takes to have hope.
Watch a few movies. Read some court cases. We never have total control of ourselves. Look at lockdown. Not being able to visit a dying parent. Getting cut off from loved ones. Things are out of our control. Just note scenarios as they become apparent. What if... It really is not difficult. An alluring prostitute when you are depressed coercing you into association with organised crime gangs. A clever con man or a kidnapper forcing you to kill to save a relative. A riot happening around you or brewing war. All scenarios where violence and the backlash against violence of hatred seem inevitable. Illness can exacerbate it. Horror movies like Stephen King’s portray all this quite well. Intercession is what we need to get to the end of this life intact. Many seem to get there but their truth just hasn’t yet got out. You might think you haven’t got a weakness, vulnerability: you just haven’t come across it yet. But your enemy might have come across it first. For me it only takes the students in the flat upstairs to play music till 4am and I’m seething with hatred outside my control.
Remember too, Jesus’ plan carries on forever. This kind of insurance plan is eternal by necessity. God does not have temporary sons.
