This past Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a worship service along with some gentlemen currently living in The Frierson House in Holly Pond. The Frierson House is a 25-bed residential re-entry program that helps men break the bondage of addiction. I witnessed firsthand men with no shame of looking “foolish” as they praised God. Men who were not ashamed to admit they needed help and hungered for the help God could provide. I felt ashamed.
I came home that night and read more about the recovery center and during my research the first thing I found was the difficulties faced when opening the center. Several people in the town voiced concerns of a recovery center opening inside their town. I had to face the dark reality that if I was not careful, I may get caught up in that same group. Men and women judging things on the surface and not understanding the rules in place at the home of who can live there, not understanding the strict schedule of drug tests done a regular basis and above all forgetting what a powerful God we serve. I felt ashamed.
Romans 3:23 tells us that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I John also says that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Both verses say sin. So what is a sin? I John chapter 3 describes sin in more detail but in basic terms it is doing things outside God’s will. For example, the men living in the Frierson House are sinners. They gave in to temptation of illicit drugs. Many became addicts and served time in jail or prison. They are sinners. HOWEVER, SO AM I! My sins may look different, and my sins may even be legal in the eyes of the law, but whether I like it not those sins still separate me from God’s will.
At the end of the service they presented me with day one recovery chip to keep. It was a great reminder that I am still “recovering” from my sins. I have never been in jail or addicted to drugs, but I am still recovering. I am recovering from my sinful nature. It was a lesson I needed to be reminded of.
We all have a history of sin and only God can remove those sins. During the worship service a song reminded us that no matter how far you may be away Jesus is waiting “with open arms”.
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