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The Prison of “Not”
The Prison of “Not”
Strayer University shared their video from the day they ran an ingenious experiment in New York City. They put up a chalkboard on a busy street with this caption written at the top: "Write Your Biggest Regret." Scores of people wrote on the chalkboard. Nearly every answer visible in the video included the word "not." Interestingly, it was not confessions of sins of commission. Instead, it was about opportunities missed, dreams not pursued, and things they failed to do.
That exercise made me wonder how many are inmates in the prison of "not." While Strayer seemed more interested in highlighting regrets that were tied to career, that impacted quality of physical life, and the like, regret reigns in people's hearts and has dominion over their spiritual and eternal lives, too. Scripture shows us those challenged with the gospel message who ultimately refused to follow Christ. The rich young ruler was not willing to choose Christ over his stuff (Matthew 19:22). Many of the rulers believed in Him, but they put their stock in the approval of men rather than God (John 12:42-43). Felix trembled at truth, but ultimately turned away (Acts 24:25). His cohort, Agrippa, was nearly there but not quite (Acts 26:28). Other examples can be found of those who came so far but would go no further.
How many people have been shown the way to eternal life and have acknowledged, to a point, that it is the way they should go? Yet, when push comes to shove, they refuse to leave the cell of self and confine themselves to the chains of a condemning choice. Before Christ, they will see their regrets realized in a rejection that cannot be remedied.
The incredible news is that they keys are in reach of this prison. It was a running gag in the Andy Griffith show that particularly Barney would leave the keys on the peg of the Mayberry jail where the prisoners could reach the keys and let themselves out. Would you picture our spiritual circumstances this way? The Psalmist praises God for many reasons, including the fact that "the Lord sets the prisoners free" (Psalm 146:7). In a Messianic passage, Isaiah writes of His mission to "proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners" (Psalm 61:1; cf. Luke 4:18; Luke 7:22; Mathew 11:5). He can emancipate lifelong slaves to sin (Hebrews 2:15). He has left the keys where we can grab them, but we must want to be free and choose to be free.
This video ends with the participants taking an eraser and removing all the regrets from the board. One of them writes just two words in their place: "Clean slate." What an optimistic, hopeful, empowering difference that contrasting concept is. Regret can be replaced with resolve. Do you believe that is possible for your spiritual life? Don't you think God wants you to experience that exhilarating hope? The proof is there at Golgotha and the sepulcher that could not keep His Son entombed. What He did there can provide you with a clean slate! Take possession of the freedom He came to give you! --Copied
