Locked In

Question to think about: Is there a circumstance, habit, or issue that is controlling you?

I had dinner with a group of moms. One was late. Her reason for being late was a classic . . . memorable. She went to school to pick up her two little boys. The building is new and the staff is still adjusting to all of the quirks. A teacher took the "after-school" kids out to the inner courtyard unaware that the lock had an automatic timer. Yep . . . you guessed it . . . the door locked . . . for the night. No one could get in or out. The teacher used her cell phone to call for help. Parents arrived to pick up kids. They could see their kids through the windows but could not get to them . . . no one could figure out how to open the door . . . a picture of the other side of cool technology. Finally, someone figured out that if, the fire alarm went off . . . then, the automatic lock system would shut off. They set off the alarm. The kids were freed.

There are things in life that lock us in.

Illness locked in a man from living healthy for 38 years. He survived those years; however, he missed the gift of living until he encountered Jesus. He was freed. Think what it would have been like to experience complete freedom after being dictated by an illness for 38 years of life. It seems that the people around him would have been speechless . . . God allowed them to see the miracle . . . to be present in the miracle . . . to believe. But there were some Jewish leaders that did not focus on God:

So the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! It's illegal to carry that sleeping mat!"
He replied, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.' "
"Who said such a thing as that?" they demanded.
The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. (John 5:10-13, NLT)
The man knew and said he was healed. Speaking about liberation is a powerful component of remaining free. Along the journey of life we will meet people that will not see or believe that God is at work. We must make a decision: Will we let those who do not believe lock us into their unbelief or if we will trust God with the belief?

An angel told the virgin, Mary: "For nothing is impossible with God."
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left. (Luke 1:37-38, NLT)

Do what God calls you to do.
You are the Lord's servant.
Be willing to accept whatever God wants.
There is a divine plan for you and I to experience a life of freedom through an ongoing, participating, active relationship with God.

Refuse to be locked in by circumstances, habits, issues, feelings, bitterness, gossip, or ________.
Remember that nothing is impossible with God!
Experience the liberation of God.
Live your liberation out loud.

Learning with you to refuse to be locked in,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)