2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Kings 19:1-21 ESV, Acts 12:1-23 ESV, Psalm 136:1-26 ESV, Proverbs 17:14-15 ESV
Daily Verse: “Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.” (Acts 12:6 ESV)
DEO (1210): “To bind.”[i]
Bound together.
Peter, chained between guards, experiences a supernatural breakout. An angel appears before him, instructing him to “Get up quickly” (Acts 12:7 ESV), the chains falling from his wrists. Getting dressed, Peter follows the angel to freedom, walking past the guards and iron gate. Once free, Peter’s guide left, and he went to Mary’s house.
Jesus frees us from our bonds, giving us life to the fullest. However, if we refuse to let go of the bonds, we keep ourselves in bondage. Peter didn’t understand the events unfolding before him, but he knew enough to follow God’s messenger. We may not understand all aspects of faith in Jesus, but we know we must follow Him to find out.
Jesus wants to free us from the bonds we struggle to release. My therapist tells me often, “You’re not that person anymore.” When we talk about what I consider shameful subjects, I’m the one still holding onto the sin. God forgave me the instant I laid it at His feet. Instead of leaving my misdeeds at the foot of the cross, I choose to pick them back up, carrying them with me.
Break free.
Follow Jesus to freedom. Let Him lead you out of bondage into the joyous life He has for you. Holding onto the past makes us miss out on the joy of today. Internal chains keep us bound between past events. Jesus wants us to leave the chains behind and follow Him.
“As the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 ESV)
Faith in Jesus separates us from our sins. Acknowledging our sins and laying them down at the cross allows us to move forward, leaving the past behind, no longer letting it hold us. Forgive yourself because Jesus already has. When Christ got on the cross, He did it for you.
Freedom in Christ comes when we accept the gift He offers. If we refuse to leave the bonds behind, we won’t enjoy the grace God offers through Jesus.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 64) Thomas Nelson
