From Frying Pan Into Fire

TITLE: From Frying Pan Into the Fire
DATE: January 9, 2019
TEXT: 1 John 1: 8-9 (ESV) - 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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31-year-old Allen Lewis of Grassy Creek, Kentucky, is a smart guy.

True, he hadn’t been smart enough to avoid being convicted for various crimes in Greenup County; and he hadn’t been smart enough to avoid capture and conviction in Morgan County. But Allen was smart enough to know that, having completed his sentence in Greenup, he would, if he could, not repeat the experience in Morgan County.

So smart guy Allen Lewis began to plan his escape.

The chance to make a getaway presented itself when a transport officer moved Allen from Greenup to temporary housing in Rowan County. As soon as a cell became available at his next location Allen would be moved again.

At any rate, as they drove down the road, Allen started squirming and sliding around, acting as if he just wasn’t able to get himself comfortable. Allen said his handcuffs had cut off circulation and seemed to be too tight.

Being a caring sort of fellow, the transport officer pulled over to see what he could do.

When the officer unlocked one of his handcuffs Allen made his move. After a considerable struggle, Lewis managed to break free. Quickly he went off road and managed to make it to another highway where he tried to flag down some passing motorist, so he could hitch a ride.

As he waited with  his thumb out, Allen Lewis congratulated himself for being a pretty smart guy.

Allen felt really good when a motorist slowed down,  pulled over and asked about his welfare. Pretty soon, Allen Lewis was on his way to freedom. Or so he thought. The truth is, the man who picked him up was a campus officer from Moorehead State University. He had spotted Mr. Lewis’ other handcuff and, rather than taking the escapee to freedom, he was transporting him to the nearest jail.

And, as of this writing, that is where not-as-smart-as-he-thought-he-was guy Allen Lewis is waiting. Only now, he has added an escape charge to his other  run-ins with the law.

Although I have never met Mr. Lewis, I have met a lot of folks like him. Maybe you have, too.

They are, for the most part, good people, nice folk. True, they have done their fair share of sinning, but they pride themselves on being smart folk who are  pretty sure they can take care of all those sins by themselves. Usually they follow a progression…

1. The first thing they usually do is convince themselves their sins aren’t very big or evil.
2. The next thing they do is tell themselves, God isn’t going to be concerned with such trivialities.
3. The last thing they do is say, “I’ll try to be better in the future.”

According to John and our passage above, that kind of thinking just doesn’t do the job. No, if we are to be forgiven it is only going to happen with an acknowledgment of our transgressions and then, complete reliance upon Jesus’ substitution which has won forgiveness for this world.

In other words, we may be smart but on our own we’re not smart enough to escape punishment; we may be good, but we’re not good enough to  escape penalty. We need the Savior Who takes away the sins of the world.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that, because of my Savior,  You are merciful to me a sinner.  In Jesus’ Name I give thanks. Amen.

Today’s devotion was inspired by various articles, amongst which is the one written by Newser Editors on December 21, 2019 . Those who wish may check out this link which was, at the time of writing, fully active: http://www.newser.com/story/268952/escaped-inmates-rotten-luck-he-hitches-ride-with-officer.html

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann, one of my long-ago confirmands. He is singing with three brothers. This song comes from the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html