On the eve of the American Revolutionary War a memorable figure named Patrick Henry said the famous words, "Give me Liberty, or give me death!" We always fight so hard against those bad guys out there who want to take away our freedom to live for God. What about the freedom I extend to my self? Christ bids me to follow Him and not what I think is "good" or "Christian." Only one Way is the provision for my personal sanctification. He alone can free me from bondage within.
There was a cry for battle from the crowds when Henry finished that famous line. I want violence done on the distance I permit between me and the freedom Christ purchased while dying for me:
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Let my inner man tremble before the LORD! Henry's speech ended saying,
"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
Patrick Henry's "Treason" speech before the House of Burgesses in an 1851 painting by Peter F. Rothermel
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Yesterday morning I was transporting my neighbor to choir practice before services began at church, 45 minutes early. I was driving back home alone. Suddenly this man whips around from behind me, and in front, then swerves around another car just the same, so unexpectantly.
He was going at least double what I was. I was going the limit at 35-40 mph. So somewhere, between 70-90 mph.
There were few puddles but no matter, he made them splash as high as his car, swerved, went through a major intersection (green) and I even saw sparks fly though it was raining, as his bumper hit asphalt on a low spot.
He decided in a split-second to turn into a convenience area. I waited to see him pop out the other side where the building hid him from view.
He never showed.
I circled along and saw he had crashed his car into a tree. Duh. No car going 70 mph can make a ninety degree turn. He was sitting there all alone, so I circled around the block. By the time I got there there was already a police officer. I went up anyway and stood there admitting "I saw the whole thing."
The driver was smiling, with a smirk. He was wearing Russian Orthodox Christian garb, so maybe he was on his way to church? He yelled at his buddy who drove a different car, and laughed. Yes, he was walking away from that wreck. The car had hit the tree dead center and uprooted it, clean. He started to walk casually into the convenience store but the police officer kindly said to him, "Hold on, now, I'm not done with you just yet."
I left. Went home, tried to do housework and I did but something was not right inside me. I guess it was shock.
There was nothing I could have done. I'm not sure why I stood there. No chance to help, to share the gospel; nothing. He was just going to get in a lot of trouble, end of story. This man's experience did nothing for me, except that it "happened to [him] as [an example] ... for [my] admonition," (1 cor 10:11) lest I "be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (heb 3:13).
His circumstance which brought him to this moment ran so much deeper than anything I could have done or said to stop from taking place. But you can't help it, right? There's that moment in time when everything becomes deathly still. You watch his recklessness with dread inside. You raise your hand, up, as if you could snatch that car back with your fingers. The words "watch out," cross your lips as a tear wells up in your eye.
The song by Sanctus Real (linked in the original post) came to mind afterward. I'M NOT ALRIGHT.
I'm NOT alright. I fear God.
None of us are. I share one important quality with that man though he had gone much farther than I in disobeying the law; I too have wandered away from union with Christ, to my own way, this is my admonition.
The only true religion is that which abides in Christ.
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