The Mystery: Buried Alive

We know where our pain is. Do we know where God is?

Today, Pastor Aeric shared an intriguing story about cholera, which plagued our nation and world back in the 1800s. Millions died and doctors were at a loss on what to do. At that time, people would slip into comas, and without knowing, doctors would accidentally bury people alive because they thought they were dead. As a result, “safety coffins” were created so people could ring a bell from inside the coffin if they were to awake.

Many times, we try to bury our own struggles.

These could be depression, fear, old relationships, past mistakes, old ways of living – only to give them a bell to ring to grab our attention again. We may attach a bell because we hope that thing is actually dead, but sometimes if we’re honest, we hope it’s not dead. We think this because it’s comfortable to go back to what we’re familiar with.

It’s easy to go back to sin patterns because we knew what we were getting ourselves into and we “felt” in control.

But Proverbs 26:11 reminds us that “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” Don’t fool yourself into thinking that what got you into sin is going to help you get out of a “rut” in your life. Remember that true life and true freedom is only found in Jesus.

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV)

The bell will ring in your life, but the question is: What will you do about it?

Will you befriend it? Try to fight it in your own strength? Or will you cut the rope? You can choose to cut the rope today. No more believing the lies of the enemy – surrender it all to God and let Him heal you and fill you from the inside out.

“That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.” Romans 6:12-14 (MSG)

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