I recently read the amazing story of how 600 prisoners of war sought to gain their freedom by tunneling out of the POW camp Stalag Luft 111 in Western Poland. Using primitive tools they had fashioned along with a few crowbars, shovels and hammers, they worked for several months on three separate tunnels they named Tom, Dick and Harry.Using bed boards, tables and chairs to stop the tunnel from collapsing, they were able to dig down some 30 feet and tunnel over 300 feet. Many of the prisoners used fake German uniforms along with false identity papers, hoping to remain unnoticed and evade being recaptured once they escaped.On the night of March 24th and 25th of 1944 some 76 prisoners escaped through one of the tunnels they referred to as Harry. Unfortunately, prisoner number 77 was spotted and the remaining 120 or so prisoners were detained. Of the 76 escapees only three made it back to Britain. Another fifty of them were executed by firing squad after Adolf Hitler became furious when he learned of their escape.While the story contained greater details than what I have written, I couldn’t help but think of the tremendous cost of time and toil that they had expended in order to gain their freedom. Sadly, only three made it while dozens lost their lives trying. I can only imagine how those three felt when they realized how many had sacrificed their lives in order for them to gain their freedom.What the story doesn’t tell us is whether or not any of the three escapees ever gained real freedom. I’m referring to the freedom from sin and the guilt of sin. Everyone, according to God’s word, is a prisoner. We are told that the one who commits sin is a slave or prisoner of sin. Some try to escape the guilt of sin through good works or church attendance, while others try and drown their guilt through drugs, sex or alcohol.The good news is that Jesus Christ accomplished all the tunneling for us; leaving us the choice of accepting His freedom or remaining the captives of sin. If you are still frantically digging, hoping to gain freedom by your own effort, know this, the tunnel will never end and freedom will never come. Jesus has already provided you with a way of escape and all you have to do is believe in His finished work and step into His life-giving freedom. You can remain a POW or be FREE! The choice is yours
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
The good news is that Jesus Christ accomplished all the tunneling for us; leaving us the choice of accepting His freedom or remaining the captives of sin. If you are still frantically digging, hoping to gain freedom by your own effort, know this, the tunnel will never end and freedom will never come. Jesus has already provided you with a way of escape and all you have to do is believe in His finished work and step into His life-giving freedom. You can remain a POW or be FREE! The choice is yoursAmen..Excellent post.. May this spread through His ChURCH..We can become bitter or better,, pitiful or powerful.. I am beginning to listen to David Ravenhills podcasts. The apple doesnt fall too far from the tree (:Frannie
_________________Frannie