The Lens of Addiction

It was easy for Jesus to see; he was looking through the very eyes of God. One after another the addicts of his time came forward. Money, Sex, Power, Co-Dependents, Alcoholics, Religious addicts and Sinners of all types made their way to him. They saw something he had that was more valuable than what they were doing.

Fast forward to today. Jesus is with us through his Holy Spirit, but to some of those same lost folks he remains unseen because his miracle working, love preaching self is in heaven and not walking among us. He works through us, but to those lost people we may not look a whole lot like someone who can change their mind.

Unless, of course, we have been there where they are at and have seen the light. But we have limitations that prevent us from being God or making an instant change to demonstrate the power of God. We have instead a Bible, a Big Book and 12 Steps as well as our experience, strength, and hope.

Then comes the man of God last night with his 11 trips to rehab, 4 DUI's, several relapses even after he was saved and suddenly it is as if Jesus is speaking to the multitude and is empowered by the Spirit of God to penetrate hearts that have grown very cold to modern day religion. They heard, they responded, they came to me asking for more, and they left, some crying in shame, but most just changed from what they had just heard.

They heard the truth, and we know that the truth can and will set you free, not the traditions, not the songs, but the truth. The truth he spoke is that God has a destiny for each of us and we spend most of our lives running away from it. David did, and his enemy was not drugs or alcohol but the very barbaric people whom he had just defeated. He ran to them to hide from what God wanted him to be.

We addicts, we run, we hide, but the very truth is, as he spoke last night, wherever you go, there you are. Until we surrender to the will of God we are just running around like a chicken with our head cut off. But God, he has something special for you, for me, and for our children.

Through The Lens Of Addiction we look like losers, but to our Creator, he has something way more valuable to give to us, the moment we stop running away from him.