Isaiah 61:1b-He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison door to them that are bound (KJV).
The despondent circus elephant didn’t look like the noble beasts I’d seen on TV. His eyes seemed to be saying, “See me? I used to be different. If it weren’t for this chain, I would trumpet out a roar to shake this place. I would stampede and be free but for this chain.”
“Dear Elephant”, I thought, “Don’t you remember how you came to be here?”No, of course he didn’t, because if he had, he wouldn’t be there! When captive elephants are small, they are tethered by chain to a stake in the ground. When they find they can’t escape, they stop trying. The trouble is that they forget that they are growing bigger every day. My giant elephant could have lifted his leg from his bond and have what his heart so desired.
What tethers us? What sin seems more than we can bear? What shackles us to heavy burdens that won’t let us go? What past infringes on our future? Why do our prayers for freedom seem to go answered? The prison door is open. Christ has set us free. Like the elephant, we just need to lift up our legs one by one and calmly walk out.
Prayer: Lord God, thank You for freeing us from that which binds us. Thank You for the open prison door. Give us the courage to get a move on. In Christ’s name. Amen.
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