THE IRON GRIP
WHAT'S this crowd of policemen? Let's go and have a look! We notice an Inspector explaining something, and are just in time to see him lift a new and flashing pair of hand-cuffs out of a small wooden box. "The chief feature of this type," we hear him say, "is that they are self-locking"; and he slips one pair of smooth gaping jaws over his left wrist. Click!—and he adds, "no one can get them off without the key." Suiting the action to the word, he fumbles in the wooden box for the key to show how easily they can be taken off, but the key was not to be found.
How extraordinarily like many an action in everyday life. We fall a prey to temptation and another sin holds us in its iron grip, and we suddenly discover it is no easy matter to get free. The Inspector now feels in his pockets without success, and, deciding that he must have left the key at home, he dismisses the crowd, puts on his overcoat, thrusts the chained hand deep into one of his outside pockets and returns home—ashamed to be seen wearing a wristlet having such associations. In our case, when we have done certain things we cover our tracks ashamed at the thought of others knowing what we have done. Of course, we always think we have got the key so that we can throw off our wretchedness, only it does not seem easy to do it afterward.
When the Inspector had made a search at home he realized to his dismay that the key had been lost and it was not until the following day that he could have the handcuffs he now so much hated, removed. In your case you may have found things are even worse. Have you yet fully realized that the handcuffs of sin have chained you to the great enemy of God and man and that all your struggles for freedom can only make your troubles worse? "Don't worry," whispers your hated companion, "I can give you the pleasures of sin." But surely you are not content to be his captive. You dare not! Why? The wages of sin is death. "How can I break free?” you cry. You can't. "Who can release me, then?” Just listen. One came to preach deliverance to the captives and to liberate those that are bruised. He suffered, died, and rose again the third day, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who were in bondage. His blood was shed to cleanse you. Truly and frankly your only hope of deliverance is in Jesus. Listen to His triumphant words: "I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." He also said, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."
Yield to His marvelous love, trust Him as your own Savior and Deliverer, own Him as your Lord, thank Him by your own life as well as by your word, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
D. A. O.