Chapter 8
How the Shackles Were Shattered
The sun was fast setting as Uncle Jack stopped his car in front of the white frame house.
"Well, this is it, children. Get out and take a look at your new home." Jim gestured toward the house.
They hurriedly climbed out of the car and ran toward the house, eager to explore every nook and corner of it.
"I'll run along, Jim," Uncle Jack told him. "I have some preparations to make for my sermon tomorrow. So long for now."
"So long, Brother Jack. Thanks a million for everything. We'll see you tomorrow, Lord willing."
A few minutes later, Daddy opened a door leading into a spacious bedroom. "This is your room, girls," he told them. "I believe three girls can find room to sleep in here."
"Oh yes," Sue exclaimed as she caught sight of the large bed in the corner of the room. "We three have always slept together."
The boys' room was pointed out to them next, and then they were shown the kitchen. They had entered through the living room so they had seen all except Daddy's room. When this was mentioned, Daddy chuckled, "I guess your daddy doesn't need much room. I've boarded up a portion of the back porch for myself. Come this way and I will show it to you."
They followed him, and what they saw made them appreciate their daddy more. On one end of the porch, they saw a very crudely built room. Upon entering, they found a cot and a wooden apple crate which was used for a table. On the crate lay Daddy's Bible. Hanging across a large nail were his clothes, and a box served as a drawer for his other belongings.
"But Daddy," Katie protested, "Your room is not as nice as ours."
"We have a nice bed and a chest," Sue added.
"And a closet to hang our clothes in," said Mary.
Daddy looked at them with tears in his eyes. "This is plenty good enough for me, children. I want you to have the best. I'm trying to make up for the years that you had even less than what I have here."
"You could sleep in our room, Daddy," Jacky offered. "We have lots of extra room."
"Thanks, Son, but I like to be alone," Daddy declined the offer. "I get up at night many times to pray and I don't want to disturb anyone. Don't worry about me. I'm very happy and contented with my little room. You'll never hear me complain."
A little later, as darkness settled down, Mary burst into tears.
"Now, now, Baby, don't cry," Daddy said soothingly. "Everything is going to be fine. Your Aunt Sarah's sister, Bessie, plans to come over Monday and help us." Reaching out his arms, he said, "Come here and tell me all about life on the farm."
Mary wiped her eyes on the back of her hands and was soon settled on Daddy's knee. How often in her young life had she longed to sit there, but never dared intimate her true feelings. But now her Daddy was entirely different since Jesus had saved him. Soon the others were gathered around and together they related all the details of their life that they could recall since Daddy had left them many months ago.
Daddy wiped the tears from his eyes from time to time as he thought of how he had neglected his precious family. But now he would spend the rest of his life making it up to them.
"Daddy," Katie asked, "how did you find Uncle Jack again? Did you know where he lived?"
Now it was Jim's turn to tell of his experiences since the children saw him last. He began with his stay at the Greenes. "Children, your daddy was bound by a bad habit. The devil had me shackled to the drink habit with his chains. That is what kept me from being a good daddy. That was why I stayed away from home and you children and Mamma so much." His voice grew husky at the mention of his departed wife. "I was off trying to satisfy my craving for drink."
"What are shackles, Daddy?" Katie, always inquisitive, wanted to know.
"Shackles are something strong like a chain that binds people so that they can't get loose. I was shackled to drink, but the devil has many different shackles that he uses to blind people. Some are bound by smoking, some by lying, some by cursing, some by gambling, some by stealing, and some by immoral living. All of these bad habits, besides many more, are shackles that Satan uses to help drag people to hell. All sinners are shackled by some form of sin. Many yearn to get free but can't by their own power. I longed desperately to get free and tried time and time again to break my shackles, but I was so bound that I could not free myself. But the Greenes helped me to overcome the drink habit, at least temporarily. The Greenes also helped me find a good steady job and this house to rent. Alton went with me to search for you." He then told of the heartache and grief he suffered when they failed to find them.”
"I felt that life just wasn't worth living without you children, even though I did have a considerably better life after I stopped drinking.”
"One evening as I was eating my supper alone, I remembered something Alton told me. He had once heard a girl singing about God's love and had promised to go with me to the place where he had heard her sing, when I felt up to it. I had a yearning in my heart for something I could not understand, so I went in search of Alton and reminded him of his promise.”
"Alton laughed. 'All right, Jim, I'll go with you, but that has been several years ago. No telling where that girl is by now.' “
" 'But maybe there will be someone there to help me,' I replied. So Alton agreed to go with me the following Sunday. He was as good as his word, but when he located the place, there was only a big empty building. I felt heartsick, but Alton only laughed. 'I told you it had been a long time, old partner,' He reminded me.”
"I returned home near to despair. I was searching for something, though I really didn't realize what it was. I thought, 'I'll go back to my bad habit of drinking, but out of respect to Alton and his family, I cast that thought from my mind.' ”
"Then one day, I was walking home from work and a young fellow handed me a tract. I stuck it in my pocket and went on my way. When I was only a few blocks from my old hang-out, the saloon, an irresistible desire came over me for a drink, so I turned in that direction and went into the saloon and bought a bottle. Still struggling against the desire, I stuck it in my big coat pocket and turned back toward my lonely home. Once inside, I paced the floor for a while, fighting what looked like a losing battle.”
" 'Oh, what's the use?' I said, and reached in my pocket for the bottle. Not only did I pull out the bottle, but he tract, as well. I set the bottle on the table and sat down to read the little message on the tract.”
"The words, 'Do you need a friend?' caught my eye. Certainly, I needed a friend. 'Are you discouraged?' I continued to read, 'Near to despair? Then look to Jesus for He is a balm for every heartache, a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.' “
"New hope was born within my breast as I finished reading the little tract. I had a great desire to know this Jesus who was a balm for aching hearts. But I had no idea how to find Him. I read the tract over again. It said, 'Look to Jesus, but how was I to look to Him? It, also, referred to several Bible Scriptures, but I didn't own a Bible. So I started to toss the tract into the wastepaper basket. But turning it over once again, my eyes fell on a name and address stamped on the bottom of it. 'Rev. Jack Delaney, 2224 Peach St.' Rev. Delaney! That was the man who came when Mamma died. I thought, 'Maybe he can help me.' “
“As I arose from the chair in which I had been sitting, my eyes caught sight of the bottle. A tremendous struggle raged within me. Shall I give in and drink and end up like I was before the Greenes rescued me, or shall I go in search of Rev. Delaney and seek peace for my troubled heart? With all the power of resistance I could muster, I grabbed my hat and went out the door.”
"I searched around town until I found the address. When I knocked at the door, a grey-haired lady answered.
" 'I'm Jim Reid,' I stammered, 'Does Rev. Delaney live here?' “
" 'Yes,' she replied, 'Won't you come in?' “
"As I entered, a man whom I recognized as Rev. Delaney, stood to his feet and stretched out his hand to gre
et me. “
" 'How do you do, Sir? I'm Rev. Delaney and this is my wife.' “
" 'Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Delaney. I think I have already met you, Rev. Delaney. Do you remember conducting a funeral for a Mrs. Reid several months ago in a little country community?' “
" 'Yes. Oh sure, you are Mr. Reid, aren't you? I recognize you now. Sit down, Mr. Reid.' “
"He seemed to wonder why I had come, but I couldn't find words to begin, so I reached in my pocket and pulled out the tract.”
" 'Do you recognize this?' I asked.”
" 'Yes. The fact is, I wrote it. I had hoped it would be a help to someone.' “
" 'Well, I will confess, Rev. Delaney, that it has put a desire in my heart to know more about this Jesus who is closer than a brother. I certainly need someone to stick by me.' “
" 'Then you're not a Christian, Mr. Reid?' “
" 'No Sir, I've never had any desire to be one until lately and I am at a loss to know how to become a Christian. ' “
"Looking at me sympathetically, he asked, 'Would you like for me to explain the way of salvation to you?' “
“ 'Yes Sir,' I replied. “
"He reached for his Bible and read from 1 John 1:9, 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' I have since memorized this Scripture as well as others he read. They help me to tell others how to find Christ.”
"I've been very, very wicked, Rev. Delaney, a no-good drunkard and bum. I was a sorry husband and father and neglected my family terribly. Perhaps I've been too wicked to be forgiven by God.”
" 'Mr. Reid,' he said kindly, 'all of us were once bad sinners. I would be ashamed to tell you of my past before Jesus came into my life. We were born in sin. Let's read it right here in Romans 3:23. 'For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' and in Timothy 1:15, 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' The apostle Paul, who penned these words, felt just as you do, and as I did when I came to Jesus, that he was the chiefest of sinners. But just as he was gloriously converted, and his life was a great influence for righteousness, so can you be, Mr. Reid, by the help and grace of God. Would you like my wife and I to pray with you?' “
" 'Yes, I would appreciate it very much.' “
"We knelt, and Rev. and Mrs. Delaney began to pray. I didn't know how to pray; but I did the best I could, confessing every sin God brought to my memory. I was sobbing my heart out, for I was sick of my life and hungry for God. I prayed until I couldn't pray any longer. There was a blessed presence lingering near. “
"Rev. Delaney spoke when I had finished praying. 'Mr. Reid, have you truly repented of all you know to be wrong in your life?' “
" 'Yes, Rev. Delaney, I've asked God's forgiveness for all my many, many sins. I've repented of all I know.' “
" 'Then take God at His word. He promised to forgive if you would confess. Ephesians 2:8 and 9 tells us 'by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.' You see, even if we had good works to offer God, that would not save us. It is by His grace, through faith. Do you believe His word, Sir?“
"Why yes, Rev. Delaney, I believe God's word. If God says something, then I know it's true. He said to confess and I've confessed. He said we are saved through faith and that means to believe. I believe right now that by His grace He saves me.”
"When I stated my faith in His Word and His promises, something happened within me that I have no words to describe. God just blotted out my wicked sins and gave me the assurance that I was His child. I felt as light as a feather. I arose from my knees, thrilled to be free. We had a great time of rejoicing together. Oh, how I praise Him for being so faithful and merciful to me." He blew his nose and wiped away his tears.
"Well, children, that's how I met Uncle Jack again."
"But what about the bottle, Daddy? what did you do with that?" Jacky was curious to know.
Jim smiled. "I forgot all about the bottle until I got back home. As I walked into the kitchen, there it was, serving as a grim reminder of how I had been shackled for years. Well, I took it up and stuck it in my coat pocket once again. Finding a hammer, I walked a mile to the city dump, and there I shattered the bottle into hundreds of pieces. My shackles were shattered at last, thank God. I've never drunk another drop. God took away the desire that night. Oh, how I do praise Him. I was like a bird who had escaped from a cage. It was wonderful and still is." He was overcome with emotion.
“Well, children, after this experience, I started attending Brother Jack's church regularly. As I kept my heart open for all truth and light, I soon discovered through his faithful ministry that I had a deeper need. He showed me through God's Word that the old carnal nature I was born with could be eradicated, or uprooted. He read in Romans 8:7 that the carnal mind is enmity, or an enemy against God, that it is not subject to God's law. One Sunday he preached from 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 'For this is the will of God, even your .sanctification.' Glancing around at the children, he said, "I'm sure you're not understanding all I'm saying, but you will remember it and some day it will help you. Anyway, on that Sunday morning, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I needed this second work of grace wrought in my heart, so I went to the altar and asked God to cleanse my heart of all its impurities and sanctify me wholly. I wanted to be rid of the carnal traits such as anger, jealousy, malice, envy, strife, pride, and all other evil tendencies in my heart. God answered prayer that memorable morning and I have been enabled, by His grace, to live a victorious Christian life ever since. Praise the sweet name of Jesus."
"Does Alton go to church with you, Daddy?" Sue inquired.
"I'm sorry to say he doesn't. He attended once, but he didn't seem very interested. He laughed and said he would go to church when he found the one where the girl sang, but that's been so long ago that it looks hopeless. I was hoping Bessie would sing the morning he came, thinking that might impress him, but she was sick that day. I wish you children would help me pray for Alton. He's such a fine young man with high morals, but he's just not interested in his soul."
"Where does he live, Daddy?" asked Mary.
"Not too far from here. He will be by tomorrow afternoon, for I told him I would have a surprise for him. He will be delighted to know I have found you children. He spent lots of time trying to help me."
"Well, children, I guess it's about time we ate a few bites, had devotions and went to bed. We have visited long enough for tonight. This has been an exciting day and we're all tired. Furthermore, we will have to get up early in the morning."
"May we get supper, Daddy?" Katie volunteered. "We know how for we helped Aunt Sarah, and Mamma, too, when she was living."
"Sure, go ahead, girls. It will be nice to just sit back and relax and let my daughters prepare supper."
They ran eagerly into the kitchen to see what they could find to prepare. Jim went into his little room and fetched his Bible and began to read.
"Read to us," Mary begged, "I wish I could read the bible," she added wistfully.
"Just a little longer, Girlie, and you can learn to read," Daddy assured her. "I intend to go right away and make arrangements for you children to attend school."
"How wonderful! " Mary clapped her hands and danced around the room with glee. "I can hardly wait," she said, throwing her arms around Daddy's neck and kissing him on the cheek. "I'm so glad you found us, Daddy."
"So am I, Girlie. Let's not forget to thank God for His leadership. Had it not been for Him, no doubt I would have ever seen you again."
Mary kissed him again as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"I love you, Daddy," she whispered in his ear.
"I reckon I love you a little, too, Mary," he teased as he smiled at her.