pramsay posted on January 24, 2008 03:49 1885 views

SHOULD YOU LET IT GO?

It almost seems cruel. The monkey loves that particular nut – he’d do anything to get it. The crafty person drops the attractive nut into a long neck bottle. The monkey shoves in his arm, opens up his hand to clutch the appealing nut but now there’s a problem. His fist is too big to pull it back out through the narrow neck. Either he must let the nut go and stop clinging to it – or he’s trapped and will no longer enjoy freedom. The monkey-hunter’s trap was successful.

Are you clinging to something and the reality is – you’re trapped? Caught and can’t get out of a situation? The nut was appealing and you went for it; you wrapped your fingers around it – or rather your heart and now you can’t get back on track for the Lord.

Joshua, the great leader who had taken the children of Israel into the Promised Land was giving his ‘swan song’ to the people he loved and led. Yes, they had frequent failures along the journey, but this old man of God loved the people and he wanted to give them his last words of advice. Despite their repeated lapses of faith in the wilderness, the children of Israel were actually now cleaving and clinging to the Lord. The blessings of Canaan were flowing their way. The leaders of the tribes of Israel listened intently to Joshua’s final words:

“…Be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book…turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left
you shall CLING to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day.
 For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day.
 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.
 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God.
  For if you turn back and CLING to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them,
so that you associate with them and they with you,
know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you,
 but they shall be a snare and a trap for you…”

Joshua 23:6-13

Should you let go is the question you must face. Of course, it depends on what you have your heart and hands wrapped around. If you’re clinging to an appealing nut and you are trapped by the enemy, then you should let it go before your situation deteriorates further. However, if you have both your hands clinging solidly to Christ and all He represents – then don’t let go.

Often we think we can cling to the Lord with one hand and cling to the habit we cherish or the world we love with the other. That’s a recipe for going nowhere fast spiritually. It results in us being stymied and stunted for the Lord. Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34.

If something you are clinging to is obstructing your walk with the Lord and robbing you of your spiritual joy – let it go. Joshua was even more specific – ‘if you cling to your old life or if you date a potential life-partner who does not know the Lord you are courting disaster. They are snares and traps for you. See it for what it really is.”

Cling to the Lord and blessings will flow your way.

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