Prisoner of War – July 15, 2023

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24,25

Prisoner of War

The stories of prisoners of war who survived are fascinating. The accounts of the brutal and inhumane treatment by the enemy are horrific. The extreme emotions felt by the prisoners are breathtaking: the terror of being completely controlled by the enemy, the hopelessness of recognizing that escape is impossible, and the desperation of knowing that if not rescued or released soon, death is right around the corner.

Fortunately, the stories of those prisoners of war don’t end there. They include rescue or release and the emotions that go along with it. The relief, joy, and gratitude that are described by these former prisoners make their stories enjoyable.

The apostle Paul shared his prisoner of war story. It’s a story that is fascinating not just because it has a happy ending, but also because it is a story that each believer in Jesus shares.

We are all held prisoner by our sinful flesh. We know that the sins we commit deserve eternal death, yet we keep sinning. That’s all that our sinful flesh can do. If our story ended there, we would be filled with fear, hopelessness, and eternal despair.

The story does not end there. We have a Savior who rescues us. Jesus frees us from the bonds of sin. Jesus takes the condemnation to hell we deserve and sets us free. “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Our prisoner of war story is certainly a heartwarming one. Our freedom has been guaranteed by Jesus. Praise to our Savior because of the freedom he has won for us, for you!

Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, for being my rescuer, my eternal Savior. Thank you for setting me free from sin and death and giving me an eternal future with you. Give me strength in my daily struggle against my sinful nature so that I may live for your glory in everything I do. Amen.