It was a late day at her office in Moncton, New Brunswick. Finally, Jackie put on her suede jacket and headed to the parking lot to go home. But she never arrived home that night. Nor did she show up the next day. Jackie disappeared.
The family notified the police. The search began. The various scenarios were considered and the possibilities were examined. What happened to Jackie? The hours turned to days and the days turned to weeks.
The family posted a $25,000 reward for any information that might help them to find her. Posters were placed everywhere. A vigil was held and flyer drops were made. The story was constantly in the local news and frequently on the national news.
A surveillance video, showing Jackie exiting her place of work, was posted on YouTube. Within a day or two, it attracted over 25,000 hits.
The family tried to remain hopeful but it had been almost a month since Jackie disappeared. She had left no note and given no plausible explanation to calm their anxieties or to comfort them.
Almost one month later, a frightened woman ran out of the driveway of a boarding house in Moncton, wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Frantically, she waved down a delivery truck. Moments later, the startled driver sped away with the woman in the truck.
Jackie was returned to her family that evening. Can you imagine what it must have been like for her to be abducted by an older man, taken to the basement of his boarding house and to be physically confined for almost a month? Can you imagine the excitement, the thrill, the happiness and the relief of escaping captivity and finding freedom and safety?
Spiritually there is a more sinister captivity going on every day. The Bible says that people are held captive by the cords and shackles of their own sins. Sin is monster-like in its grip and debilitating in its effect. “His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin” (Proverbs 5:22).
Sin is a tyrant in our lives. The Bible uses metaphors such as slavery and bondage to convey the awfulness of sin in the human family. Sin often offers short term pleasures to ensnare a person into a lifetime of bitter bondage. Ultimately, it brings about death and eternal destruction unless freedom can be found.
In the Bible frequent references are made to the reality of sin in our lives. Every person (not just a few bad ones) needs to be freed from the dominating tyranny of sin (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). Sin is cruel because if it has its way, it will land you in Hell.
The good news is there is freedom! You can escape the bondage of sin. You can escape the ultimate end of sin – eternal death. You cannot buy or earn your freedom. If you are ever going to be freed from that bondage – you will have to accept God’s gift.
Two thousand years ago, Christ died for your sins upon the cross. He was raised from the dead and He has both the power and the authority to set you free today. He wants to. Will you turn to Him for freedom and liberty? Receive Christ as your Saviour.
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” ( John 8:36).
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