SAVIOUR WITH
A SCREWDRIVER
I am a man familiar with screams. I have been told that on a clear day, screams emanating from our home can be heard for quite some distance. No, there is nothing sinister happening in our home, it's just that we have three boys-- John who is six, and David and Graham who are four (yes, you guessed it twins).
One day some time ago, as I was working in my office at home, I heard the all too frequent screams of one of the twins. At first I ignored it, but when the screams didn't subside into their customary sobs, I decided to investigate. Just as I was about to leave my office a knock came at my door. John our oldest, opened the office door and said, "Dad, David is stuck in the chair." Sheila had sent for reinforcements! As I walked into the dining room, there was David, his head stuck in the kitchen chair in the space between the seat and the back. From my perspective all I could see was Sheila holding David as he flopped about like a fish out of water. (It was only my overriding compassion as a father that stopped me from first hunting for my camera to take a picture).
Being the rational person that I am, I thought, "He got his head in there, it has to come out." But as in many other situations, theory breaks down in practice. I pulled, pushed, and twisted poor David's head, but to no avail. It may be that what goes up, must come down, but what goes in doesn't necessarily come out. After a few seconds, I decided that the only way out of this mess was to take the back off the chair. I retrieved my trusty screwdriver, and proceeded with the task at hand. As I removed the last screw and freed David from his self-made prison, I felt a rush of satisfaction. Old dad had come through (it never hurts to get a few brownie points now and again)!
And then it struck me. What I had just done for David, God has done for you and me. Everyone gets into situations that trap them. Everyone has fallen into the bondage of their own self-made prisons. The man who thinks he can find his happiness in the shadow of the dollar sign; the women who will do anything to be loved; a world that believes happiness is found in the shallow pleasures of the senses. A path leading anywhere but to a relationship with Christ, ends up being a path without an exit. Thank God that He sent His Son to save us from the traps we couldn't get out of ourselves. We all need a Saviour with a screwdriver who will loosen the screws of sin and release us from the seat of judgement. Praise God that I found Him. I hope you have, too.
