When I was a boy at school, a companion of mine had a pair of splendid rabbits, of which he was very fond. During the dark hours of night some one entered the “hutch” and stole one of them. After long searching, he heard that his lost rabbit was exposed for sale, among others, away at the other end of the town, so off he went to claim his own. When he arrived at the place he saw his rabbit, and was about to carry it off, when a voice called out,
“You cannot take away that rabbit without paying for it; it’s mine.”
The boy ran off home, and told his father what had happened, who at once saw the state of affairs, and gave him sufficient money wherewith to redeem the captive rabbit. The price was paid, the rabbit was set free, and restored to its original owner.
Often, as I remember this story, I think how aptly it illustrates our condition as sinners. Sin carried us away from God, and we became captives to Satan. Moreover, the law was against us, for we had broken it, and earned its curse. Only by redemption could we be set free, and this redemption price Jesus paid in His own blood.
No boy or girl need remain in Satan’s kingdom any longer. Yet many do. They love their sins, and refuse to go free and return to God. Yet Jesus says,
ML 10/01/1944