Andres and his family lived in a little shack by the river in Lima, Peru. They were very poor like many people in Lima, but it was not because Andres did not have a job that his family was poor. No, he had a good job with the Navy as a mechanic. He was known to be a very good mechanic and could even fix difficult parts of an engine without proper tools. Sad to say, Andres and his family were poor because, like many other lost sinners, Andres was a slave to alcohol. When he got his pay on Fridays, he could not resist the calls of his friends to drink with them in the local bar.
Andres had four small children and his sinful habit was causing a good deal of misery to the family. He did love his family, but he could not stop drinking by his own will. He needed to be set free from the power of Satan by the only One who can break that power — God.
The devil who came “to steal, to kill, and to destroy” was the one who led Andres into this sin. Andres had continued in this sinful way until he could not escape by himself. Only the power of God could set him free now.
One Friday when there was nothing at all in the little shack to eat, his wife was anxiously waiting for Andres to come home. It was payday and she needed money to buy food. She guessed why Andres was late. No doubt he was drinking with his friends again, just like he did every payday. When he did arrive home, she was still waiting.
“Your pay, Andres?” she asked, trying to hide her concern.
“Right here,” he said, reaching into his shirt pocket. But his shirt pocket was empty. So were all his other pockets. Someone had stolen the rest of his money in the bar.
Andres really did love his little family in spite of his slavery to alcohol, and now they were in real trouble. They had nothing to eat in the house, and there would not be another cent until the next payday.
Poor Andres was finding out that Satan is a hard master. His poor children were hungry, and it was all his fault. Andres went to bed that night hungry and miserable. But that was not all.
All night long he dreamed. In his dreams he searched for his money and found it by the road. He closed his hand on it and woke up immediately — with empty hands. Then he went to sleep again and dreamed he found his money on a table in the bar. Just as he picked it up, he woke up clutching nothing in his trembling hand. Over and over again he dreamed that he found his money, but he woke up each time empty-handed.
Andres could not forget that terrible night. He could see that God was using it to show him that he was serving Satan. He longed now to be free from his drinking habit, and was sorry for the sadness and hunger he was causing in his family.
But God in His tender love was watching the little family. He first showed them His goodness in sending some food. His wife’s mother arrived the next day from the country with a bag of potatoes. Those potatoes and a little food borrowed from the neighbors kept them from starving until the next payday.
But God’s goodness did not stop there. When those who serve the devil are in trouble, they find that this awful master does not help or comfort them. But God’s love is just the opposite! His love is so great that He helps those in trouble even while they are still His enemies! “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7,87For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7‑8)).
God in His kindness allowed Andres to hear the good news that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). Andres knew that he was one of the sinners that Jesus came to save. He simply believed in the Lord Jesus and received the forgiveness of his sins. “By Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)).
God not only forgave Andres’s sins, He also delivered him from the power of alcohol. He could now provide food and clothing for his dear wife and children instead of spending his money in the bar. How happy his wife and children were to see their father at home, singing hymns of thanksgiving to the Lord. In fact, Andres never, even to this day, seems to tire of thanking his Saviour. “Giving thanks unto the Father ... who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [received] us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:12,1312Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:12‑13)).
Boys and girls, you too are a slave to sin if you have never come to the loving Saviour to be forgiven. Be like Andres and change masters today!