In the news we have heard of a Columbia, SC, couple who were arrested on drug charges. Authorities discovered that the couple had forced their young children (2 and 5 years old) to take large amounts of cocaine. In another story from Lexington, a mother was arrested for selling her daughters into prostitution in order to feed her drug habit. My initial reaction was, “How long, O Lord?” What a frightening commentary on our culture that parents could do so much damage to innocent children! These stories are a reminder of the wickedness that lurks within the unredeemed human heart, and of the depths to which we can sink when we stray from the boundaries a loving God has established for us.
When we yield ourselves to sin, we open the door for the devil. When we choose to use alcohol or drugs to get drunk or high, we open the door for powerful spiritual forces that will seize control of our lives and cause us to do things we would never in our right minds do. You might think I’m saying this excuses people for their behavior. BY NO MEANS! We are responsible for our choices; if we give the keys to a drunk driver, we are responsible for whatever happens. If we hand over the keys of our life to satan, we cannot then blame satan for the trouble that results.
As we see the potential for depravity and destruction within the human heart, we should be reminded of our own potential apart from the mercy and grace of God. When others shock us by their evil deeds, we should recognize that we are being given more proof that we – all of us - need a Savior.
- Pastor Mack
