The Ultimate Prison Break (A Christmas Devotional)
By: Kristen L. McNulty
Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
Recently I took a drive along one of my favourite “backroad” routes to a small town about an hour away from where I live. It was dark outside and after a few minutes within the town's limits, I turned a corner and in the distance I could see the most beautiful display of lights, shining so bright in the dark of the night. As I got closer I was able to see it was a fabulous Christmas light display that someone had on their home, complete with a bright star that really stood out. As my car got closer to the house I noticed something else, that a stone's throw away from this very bright house was a rather large prison, completely surrounded by high fences topped with barbed wire. As I slowed my car to get a closer look of both places and the stark contrast they were of the other, I started to think what it must be like for an inmate in that jail to look across the field and see such bright and beautiful light while held captive in such a dark place. And then it occurred to me, that what I was seeing was a perfect illustration to the message of Christmas, why Jesus was born on this earth, what He’s done in my life and what He can do in yours.
You see, we are all born into a very dark world and even if our address isn’t an actual prison, it doesn’t change the fact that no matter what our legal status is, we all find ourselves held captive by our sin. Whether it’s lust that destroys you time and time again, anger that consumes you, greed that controls you or lies that ensnare you, we are all confined and held down by the darkness within us that could easily destroy us. But Christmas provided us with another way.
The Fence Has Been Removed
Jesus' birth is like those Christmas lights in the dark of night that reaches us in our prison and beckons us to come over to the other side. And Jesus’ death removed the fence and the barbed wire that would have otherwise kept us imprisoned.
We learn in the Bible,
"But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." Galatians 3:22
And
"Always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." Colossians 1:12-14
Jesus came to our earth that very first Christmas to bring light in the darkness, to purchase our freedom with His own blood and to forgive us of our sins. Through Jesus we don’t have to stay enslaved by sin and addiction and pain and self destruction. Through Jesus we can receive a pardon that comes with forgiveness and grace and love and peace.
Is His Light Beckoning To You?
Don’t you see His light is beckoning to you right now, calling you to leave the prison you find yourself in and instead walk free in His light? It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, Jesus’ grace and forgiveness is for us all. So stop the madness of trying to stage your own prison break time after time, year after year and coming up short. Instead let this be the best Christmas ever as you accept the gift of not just the ultimate prison break, but His complete pardon!
The Bible tells us we are not saved by what we do, but rather in believing in the one who has already done it! Romans tells us:
"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.'" Romans 10:9-11
Believe and Declare
So will you declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead? Stop right here and right now and pray with me:
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are Lord and that God raised you from the dead. I’d like to accept your forgiveness for my sins. Place your Holy Spirit within me and help me to live each day in your light. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
If you just confessed and believed for the first time or have any questions, I invite you to
email me or visit the MAD Facebook page and reach out. I’d love to answer any questions you might have.
The Light We've Found
And this Christmas no matter what your Christmas season is looking like, let this be an opportunity to celebrate the great gift we’ve been given and the light we’ve found in Jesus. Closing off with a few words John the Baptist’s father spoke mere months before Jesus was born, that make it clear what kind of a gift we’ve truly received:
"You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." Luke 1:77-79
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