The Great Escape

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-4.

This passage was originally given by God to Isaiah in relationship to the children of Israel, but was publicly read by Christ as fulfillment following Christ’s 40 days of temptation in the wilderness. This is one intense job description, one that only One can pull off.

We have all heard of prisoners whom upon release will immediately break the law only to return to prison. The confines of their cell are all they know and provide a false and limited comfort in living their lives. They have settled for less, and settled for confinement and captivity in an effort to remain in the comforts of what they know.

We do the exact thing in dealing with our own incarcerations. The cell that holds us could be our unforgiveness, our insecurities, our perfectionism, our fears or anything else that binds, holds us, controls or confines us. We ‘white-knuckle’ our bars as we peer out of our cells wishing for more, craving the different, but not anticipating freedom.

There is One who has the key to our cells, the key to our release and the key to our freedom – it is Christ alone. Christ was there and Christ is here and “binds (unites, attaches, joins)…proclaims (state publicly, assert, make known)….releases (frees, let go, liberates)…comforts (soothes, consoles, reassures)…provides (make available, endow with, grant, supply)…bestows (presents, bequeaths)…” Take a few minutes and really allow these words and definitions to sink into the depths of your heart and spirit as it relates to Christ and His present and active workings on our behalf.

Anyone can temporarily escape their cell but it takes a Savior to keep on saving.