Letting Go

I don*t recall where I heard about a way to catch monkeys. Just what you always wanted to know, right? I don*t know if it really works. The idea is to have a glass jar too heavy for a monkey to lift or attached to something heavy so a monkey cannot carry it off. The jar must have a large bottom and a small mouth. The mouth should be just large enough to put a banana into the jar and large enough so a monkey can reach into the jar and grab the banana. The mouth should be small enough so that when the monkey grabs the banana he cannot pull his fist out of the jar. As I understand it monkeys will stubbornly hold onto the banana and the trapper can easily come and get them.

Sinners must let go of their sin to be saved (repentance). Many stubbornly cling to their sin and their idols and Satan easily keeps them captive. In clinging to those things (not forsaking them) they cling to things that God cannot and will not permit in heaven.

Proverbs 28:13: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Revelation 21:27: And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb*s book of life.

There is an application here for Christians. If we cling to our sin we cannot be as swift in our walk (or run) with the Lord.

Hebrews 12:1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

I am reminded of a wonderful song written by Martha Snell Nicholson and arranged by Tom Fettke: Empty Hands.

One by one He took them from me, All the things I valued most,
Until I was empty-handed; Every glittering toy was lost.
And I walked earth*s highway grieving, In my rags and poverty,
Till I heard His voice inviting, Lift your empty hands to me.
So I turned my hands toward heaven, And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendant riches, Till they could contain no more,
Then at last I comprehended, With my stupored mind and dull,
That God could not pour His riches Into hands already full.

Care to discuss Letting Go with Ron?

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