to be free...

Tonight, I was standing at his bedside. He was my age, with long black hair, his heart racing and body shaking. His father was an alcoholic, and he has been drinking 1 liter of vodka daily since he was 15 years old. He was withdrawing and we were giving him medications to help him do it safely because he said He wants to be free. I told him, "You're going to feel terrible for a couple of days. After your stay here you will be free from the risk of seizures and withdraw, but you will not be free from the cravings of the alcohol. We admitted you because you said you want to be quit for good. We could have sent you back home to treat yourself with more alcohol, but we have hope for you and want to help you with the first steps of freedom."

The drinking has ruined his life, estranged him from his children and his wife. He hates it and needs it at the same time.  He says he knows Jesus and the gospel,  but he has tried before to quit and failed over and over again.  He feels powerless to stop. 

I shared with him the story of the paralytic man dropped through the roof in front of Jesus.
The first thing Jesus said to him:  "Man, your sins are forgiven." 

what is harder, to forgive sins and or to say "Get up and walk?"

Jesus has the power to do both. 

I have hope for this alcoholic man although the road to recovery will not be easy and he cannot do this it alone. But God is the master of healing all things hopeless. He can make crippled legs walk again…for this man and for me as well.