Hooked

 The devil will hand us anything he can to weigh us down. he hands us the package, the weight, the burlap sack. Maybe that burlap sack carries the weight of guilt, or maybe the burden of worry. Or maybe its passenger is regret, or a longstanding offense. Maybe fear. You name it, it comes in the form of a sin, a lust, a familiar failure, bundled with burlap and twine.

 But why? Why would the hater of our soul, the despiser of God's beautiful image, give us burdens to carry? Envision this. You are standing at the gate of God's presence, ready to rise to your rightful place in His courts; ready to take your position and receive your strength and blessing.

 But you can't. Something is holding you down, pulling you back. And it's not just the weight of your packaged up and twined failure, sin or worry. No, satan has handed you this burlap bundle so he will have something to slide his steely hooks into. It's part of his plan, his trickery. But that's a beautiful thing!

 What? Why is that a beautiful thing, you ask.

 Because his vicious hooks aren't in you. Your soul is not stabbed and held by his evil tongs. No, the burlap burden you are holding is. So let it go! That's right. Open your arms (go ahead and do this now) and lower your hands face open, and watch that thing drop. Haha! You are not hold down by it any longer.

 Because of Jesus, the things you carry are no longer a part of you. You are not your guilt. You are not your fear. You are not ... put your burden here. No, you are the free! A son, a daughter. Let the burlap sack fall and hear the chained hooks fall with it. Let go of the lie. Just let it go.

 And now you can rise and receive. Without fear, shame, guilt, worry, or another thought about the thing that once held you down. Now you are free. OK, but now hear this. Even if that package is you having difficulty letting go of the package, then start there. Ask Him, help me, Daddy, to let go of my junk. And He will. And then comes the sweet exchange. His burdens for ours. His peace for our storm. His love for our bitterness. His joy for our sorrow. And Him, our greatest reward, now ours!

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