But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23
Pressure on my chest. Shortness of breath. All I could manage to do was cry. The pain in my chest sent a surge of panic through me. If this was a heart attack, I wondered if I could be saved.
The thermometer on the end of the house read 104.6. I made my way to the mailbox. Stopping along the fence, I leaned over and rested my palms against my knees. That was the last I remember. When I came around, I was sitting against the fence, sweat dripping into the corners of my eyes. It was hot. Dangerously hot. Hellishly hot.
It didn’t help that I’d been sick all week, or that we’d suffered great hurt from those we thought loved us, but I’d had a friend beyond angry with me. Stress, anxiety, and the heat, took me down and it scared me. I crawled toward the door and I wondered if anyone would even care if I died.
It’s funny…the things we think when we’re in a dire situation. Some things warrant attention while others are just plain silly. Still there comes a point in all our lives when we face the reality of our sin. We ultimately ask, “Will I be saved?”
When I think of the true sacrifice of Jesus, I realize my life is completely undeserving of the type of love that would cause a man to give up His life for me. Are any of us worthy of such a sacrifice? Especially when we continue to wallow in the pit of our sin. It seems the efforts we make are futile compared to the strength of heart, mind, and the willing body of Christ.
I deserved to die, when He didn’t.
By the time I reached the shade of the porch, I couldn’t stop the tears. I felt sick, hurt, and hated—after the past two months of trials, the one last hit from my friend sent my heart into brokenness. I laid back on the porch, my chest heaving from hurt and exhaustion, and I cried out, “Lord will you forgive me where I’ve failed? My body is weak.”
At that moment, that still small voice whispered to my heart, “You have been set free.” And free I was. Thanks to the love of Christ, I was set free and the wages of my sin were no longer death, but…forgiveness.
When life presses against your very being, when your body is weak and frail, remember you were worth it all to Christ who died for you and when you ask, “Can I be saved?”…the answer is yes!
Cindy is the founder of Mountain Breeze Ministries and cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. She has contributed to Novel Journey and Novel Reviews, and Christian Devotions. She writes for PML Programs and contributes to the Times-News.net. Her devotions are published weekly in several newspapers across the country. She co-writes the He Said, She Said devotions with Eddie Jones that publish in Common Ground Christian Newspaper.
Cindy is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She attended Johnson Bible College and graduated with a BA in Business from the University of Phoenix in 2008. She has led Sunday school, teaches a women’s study class, and is a contributing writer to CBN.com . Cindy speaks frequently for ladies’ conferences, special events and teaches at writers’ conferences across the country. Contact Cindy if you would like for her to speak to your church, club or group. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com