Still Enslaved

The town of Badagry, Nigeria was founded around 1425 A.D. It was one of the very first slaving ports in all of Africa. It is reported that over 500,000 slaves where shipped out of Badagry prior to the abolishing of slavery in the United States and Great Britian.

The ancient sites of the old slave markets still stand in Badagry. It was an eiree feeling to stand on the same soil where human flesh was a commodity, traded much like rice or corn. The old marketplace still trades in fish, corn, rice and little else has changed. The town was overrun with thatch roof shelters, crumbling old shacks and a people who struggle daily for their survival.

I asked a local preacher in Badagry how he would describe the old slaving village and he responded, "pagan, idolatrous and poor." As I walked down market street and stood on the trading blocks that once held slaves captive, I realized a troubling truth - the people of Badagry were Still Enslaved:

- Enslaved to Poverty

- Enslaved to Pagan Worship

- Enslaved to Sin

Centuries have passed since men like Abraham Lincoln and William Wilburforce removed the shackels and chains from slaving ships, but the people of Badagry still are not free.Today our brothers and sisters in Christ continue to battle slavery, but it is the slavery of sin.

Most of the people in Badagry and other places in Nigeria will never see much relief from poverty and want, but they can be emancipated from the shackles of sin and death. It was an honor to be in Nigeria representing African Christian Schools Foundation (http://www.africanchristianschools.org/).

For over 50 years this great institution has worked to free men from the bondage of sin. As I strolled through the city it was encouraging to see God's people working to make a difference.

The Battle Within

Most of us have heard the native American proverb about the old chief who tells his son that we all have two wolves inside us that are constantly doing battle. One is strong, noble and good, the other is wicked and evil. The son asks, "which wolf is the strongest?" and the old chief responds, "the one that you feed."

There is a lot of truth behind that old proverb. Paul recognized this in Romans 7:15-25 when he discusses the struggle between the spiritual and the carnal, between law and grace. In verse 15 he says, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." In Paul's case he was struggling with turning loose of the law of Moses, but the principle is the same for each of us.

Satan attacks us where we are most vulnerable. It may be an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or our professional ethics in the workplace. When we look in the mirror we don't always see what we want to see. I wake up hoping to see the image of Christ, but always seem to fall a little short somewhere along the way.

For years I prayed that God would remove the struggles and conflict from my life. I was tired of being disappointed by others, but more importantly I was tired of disappointing myself. I am just starting to realize that God has tucked away hidden blessings in my struggles. What possible blessings could come from conflict, struggle and disappointment?

1. I am reminded of my dependence on God.
2. I am brought daily to my knees in prayer.
3. I am humbled by God's forgiveness and grace.
4. I am thankful for His sacrifice for my sin.
5. I look forward to a home with no sorrow or tears.

So what is the upside of all these challenges? After revealing to us his struggle Paul tells us, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1, 2).