At night, Evelyn the gorilla was locked up in her cage. During the day she was allowed to go outside into the gorilla yard which was surrounded by a brick wall on three sides and steel bars in the front.
Each day hundreds of visitors came to the zoo. Evelyn would watch them as they passed by. They could walk away, but because of the bars and walls she could not. Maybe it was boredom that made her want to walk down that sidewalk and see what was around the corner.
One day, Evelyn saw Leonel, her gorilla friend, standing by the wall. She walked over to him, climbed up his back, stood on his shoulders, grabbed the top of the 12foot wall, and pulled herself over. She was free! Now it was her turn to stroll down the sidewalk.
She saw people running away from her in every direction. She didn’t know why. She was just wandering around, investigating whatever she came across.
But news of a 200pound gorilla loose in the zoo grounds travels pretty fast. Evelyn had been free only about 45 minutes when a zookeeper shot her with a tranquilizer dart. Seconds later she fell asleep. Then they could put her back in her cage unharmed.
The brick wall was built several inches higher on the side where she had escaped before Evelyn was allowed to return to the yard. But the day she was allowed back outside, it happened all over again. Leonel, as if he had been asked, stood beside the other brick wall while Evelyn climbed to his shoulders and scrambled over that wall. She had a second little trip of freedom which ended just like the first one had.
After her second breakout, Evelyn was kept in her night cage until workers could raise the entire wall several more inches. Now it is doubtful that she will be able to escape again.
Freedom is very precious, and no one should take it for granted. True freedom comes from knowing Jesus Christ, God’s Son: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, [you] shall be free indeed” (John 8:3636If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)).
So that we might enjoy true freedom, “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:1414And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)). Because the Lord Jesus went to the cross and died in the sinner’s place, God can give eternal life to every person who believes on His Son.
Will you believe on the Lord Jesus today? Because of your sins, you will never be truly free and happy in this life without Him. Don’t let pride become high walls and steel bars between you and the Lord Jesus Christ. He will give you not only freedom, but peace and happiness, if you’ll only come to Him. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:3232And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)).
ML-03/10/2002