imported_rachel
04-02-2007, 08:30 AM
There are many types of monkey which can be captured with nothing
more than a hollow wooden ball and a few shiny stones. The wooden
ball contains a hole just large enough for the open hand of the
monkey to pass through. The shiny stones are placed inside the ball
and the ball is then tied to a tree.
The curious monkey reaches into the hollow ball and grasps the stones
but then finds his hand will no longer pass through the hole while he
clings to his prize. The monkey fights to free his hand but will not
drop the stones and is therefore easily captured.
This is a fun story - but I don't really think it's true. Monkeys
are actually much smarter than this illustration makes them
appear. But I wonder how many of us are being trapped by similar
tactics.
Jesus had chosen His twelve disciples and was giving them
instructions as He sent them out to minister. He told them where to
go and some of the hardships to expect. He also told them one of the
great secrets of a successful journey.
Matthew 10:39
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for
My sake will find it."
Another translation of this same verse reads: "If you cling to your
life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for Me, you will find
it." This is a truth the world doesn't want us to hear! The only
way to find the freedom of true life is to let go and give God our
complete trust.
We are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians
2:8) - but a saving faith must be faith in the complete Jesus, all He
is and all He represents! He came as our Savior, the Lamb who was
sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sin. But He also came as the
Son of God, our Sovereign Lord. A saving faith cannot pick and
choose what portion of Jesus to accept; we either let go and give Him
our complete trust or we show we have rejected Him as we cling to
self-control.
The world is packed full of "trappings" which lure us and keep us
from surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We're continually enticed to
follow "The Road to Happiness" with promises of pleasure and power;
but if we look close we'll see nothing but a handful of worthless
stones which keep us from true freedom.
We can no longer cling to the empty values of the world; we must let
go and present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice (Romans
12:1). If we want to find the freedom of true life, we must have a
faith which allows us to lose our life to the will of our Lord - we
must be willing to let go of our shiny stones.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive07.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm
more than a hollow wooden ball and a few shiny stones. The wooden
ball contains a hole just large enough for the open hand of the
monkey to pass through. The shiny stones are placed inside the ball
and the ball is then tied to a tree.
The curious monkey reaches into the hollow ball and grasps the stones
but then finds his hand will no longer pass through the hole while he
clings to his prize. The monkey fights to free his hand but will not
drop the stones and is therefore easily captured.
This is a fun story - but I don't really think it's true. Monkeys
are actually much smarter than this illustration makes them
appear. But I wonder how many of us are being trapped by similar
tactics.
Jesus had chosen His twelve disciples and was giving them
instructions as He sent them out to minister. He told them where to
go and some of the hardships to expect. He also told them one of the
great secrets of a successful journey.
Matthew 10:39
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for
My sake will find it."
Another translation of this same verse reads: "If you cling to your
life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for Me, you will find
it." This is a truth the world doesn't want us to hear! The only
way to find the freedom of true life is to let go and give God our
complete trust.
We are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians
2:8) - but a saving faith must be faith in the complete Jesus, all He
is and all He represents! He came as our Savior, the Lamb who was
sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sin. But He also came as the
Son of God, our Sovereign Lord. A saving faith cannot pick and
choose what portion of Jesus to accept; we either let go and give Him
our complete trust or we show we have rejected Him as we cling to
self-control.
The world is packed full of "trappings" which lure us and keep us
from surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We're continually enticed to
follow "The Road to Happiness" with promises of pleasure and power;
but if we look close we'll see nothing but a handful of worthless
stones which keep us from true freedom.
We can no longer cling to the empty values of the world; we must let
go and present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice (Romans
12:1). If we want to find the freedom of true life, we must have a
faith which allows us to lose our life to the will of our Lord - we
must be willing to let go of our shiny stones.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive07.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm