For a long time my spirit was imprisoned by my own sinful nature. I did not realize what darkness I was living in. I was in a dark dungeon when Jesus filled my prison with light. I woke up and could see the dungeon that my sin created for me. I was chained by my own desires. All of the sudden because of the light Jesus shined into my life I not only recognized Him, my Lord, but I recognized myself, a sinner. In a moment my chains fell off! My heart was set free from my sin! Once I was free I got up and walked away from this former life of sin and began to follow Jesus. Now I am amazed that this Jesus who saved me also died for me. How can it be?

This is my own interpretation of a verse from Charles Wesley’s hymn, “And Can It Be”. This hymn is said to be based on his conversion. Wesley wrote, “Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and natures night. Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light. My chains fell off, my heart was free. I rose, went forth and followed Thee. Amazing love how can it be? That Thou my God would die for me”.

This is the testimony of everyone who has come to Christ. For some, the dungeon was not dungeon like until the light of our Savior shone into the room. In fact many of us did not even realize we were in a dungeon. Paul said in Romans 7:7 that it was God’s law that showed him his sin. God shows us our sin by showing us His law. At conversion our sin becomes obvious. But something interesting happens to many Christians. As they grow they begin to pay less attention to God’s word which exposed each one of us as sinners. Soon our heart that was tender like a baby becomes hardened due to the Christian rut we have lived in for so long. What was clearly sin becomes not so clear. What was easily recognized as sinful is now justifiable.
Keith Green, a Christian Singer songwriter who is now with the Lord, was speaking at one of his concerts in 1980. He said that one night he wrote a letter to the Lord and said, “Lord! You’ve got to do something about my heart. A lot of time has gone by since I met you. It’s starting to harden up. It’s just kind of natural thing that happens. I want to have baby skin Lord. I want to have skin like a baby on my heart. It’s starting to get old, wrinkled and calloused. It’s not because of anything I’m doing; it’s because of things I’m not doing”.
Keith stayed up until 2:00 AM that morning writing this song:

Oh Lord You’re beautiful Your face is all I seek. And when Your eyes are on this child Your grace abounds to me. Oh Lord please light the fire that once burned bright and clear.Replace the lamp of my first love that burns with holy fear

What kind of skin is on your heart? David said in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you”.

That is where we should live. We are sinners who can live victorious lives. The thing is that it won’t happen by accident. We need to have baby skin on our hearts and remember that this amazing Jesus saved us from our dungeons.
Hosea 10:12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.