Earthquakes are an interesting phenomenon. They come and go as the earth’s crust shifts around on its molten core. Their intensity varies from tiny tremors that barely register on measuring equipment to a full blown rupture that destroys whole cities or reshapes the countryside. There is a parallel here in regard to how sin impacts our life. Because of our insistence on living our lives our way, we push God out and allow sin in.
Earthquakes Are Not a One-time Event and Leave the Survivors Apprehensive
Most earthquakes are not a single event, like a hurricane or tornado, and will have a multitude of aftershocks over a period of days, weeks, or even months, with some almost as great as the initial quake itself! Contrary to popular belief, sin is not a one-time occurrence. It continues on, sometimes hardly noticed, other times it is so great that it impacts us to the core of our being.
…fear grips us deep down inside, knowing that some day our ‘big one’, or death, will come, either with or without notice.
Survivors often speak of the instability of the buildings that they live in and their hesitancy to reenter the structure for fear of collapse. As a result, they are forced to sleep outside and, in some cases, live indefinitely nearby, often in a tent or temporary shelter. In some cases, their lives are permanently impacted or altered. Those living in earthquake-prone regions have usually adapted to the occasional or periodic shaking, but are still apprehensive about ‘the big one’ that might eventually strike their area.
Sin Leaves Us Unstable and in Shambles
As time goes by, sin grows, and, like an earthquake, leaves our heart in shambles. We are upset and unstable. There is no peace. We try to manage and function as though this is a normal occurrence in our life. Yet fear grips us deep down inside, knowing that some day our ‘big one’, or death, will come, either with or without notice.
Just like the victims of these earthquakes, there are multitudes in the world today that are living outside of their house (or heart) because it is too unsafe inside. They are afraid that their world could collapse at any moment. Therefore, their whole life becomes a state of uncertainty. They don’t know what tonight, tomorrow, or next week will bring, much less next year.
Jesus Christ is the answer to the problem of sin and its by-products.
But things do not have to remain this way, for there is help that is far greater than anything this world can offer. Jesus Christ is the answer to the problem of sin and its by-products. By allowing Him into your heart (or home) and letting Him work through you, He will go right to work to bring stability to your being.
When we have a house that is damaged or destroyed, we usually call in an inspector or contractor who will analyze the situation. They then will either give us an estimate of what needs to be done, or they will do the actual repairs to bring the place up to par. Likewise, if we have a problem with our mind or body, we go to a psychiatrist or doctor, who will tell us what is wrong and give some kind of treatment to help us feel better. The problem is, that they often don’t take care of the root of the problem; instead, they just resolve the symptoms.
Jesus Doesn’t Just Patch Us and Fix Us Up
When Jesus comes into our life, on the other hand, He doesn’t just fix or patch things up. He gives us a whole new heart. We could say that He spiritually puts a new DNA in us. He knows that sin is the source of our current state of ill-being and, by His Spirit, He will work to clean it out of our life, as long as we let Him. He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
In a similar way, when given the opportunity, sin will escalate in our life to the level that our heart is in shambles and we are unable to enter in—to the point where we have to (figuratively) sleep outside of it.
As we have seen, earthquakes are remarkable and yet very destructive. They can create an almost unknown disturbance, or they can violently shake and destroy a whole metropolis, leaving people in a distraught state, scared to even set foot in their own home. In a similar way, when given the opportunity, sin will escalate in our life to the level that our heart is in shambles and we are unable to enter in—to the point where we have to (figuratively) sleep outside of it.
Jesus is the Only Means of Peace and Restoration
This is why we must allow Jesus to come in and reign in our heart and life. Not only will He bring peace and restoration, through His Spirit He will keep us from giving sin an opportunity to damage our heart again. Jesus is the only way that we can be free from the disaster that sin brings upon us. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Are you going to remain in fear with your heart in ruins or will you open it up to Him today?
For more information on how to receive Jesus into your heart and have freedom from the damaging power and effects of sin, please visit our page titled ‘The Way to God.’
[Additional image credits: Featured image (when applicable) by Acton Crawford on Unsplash; Opening photo by Dave Goudreau on Unsplash]
