by Greg Lily

1 Corinthians 10:13-14
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

A few weeks ago on my way to a brunch, I was listening to the radio. The station told a story that had been communicated by a missionary:

While in the field, villagers where the missionary was stationed would capture monkeys. The villagers took gourds, filled them with fruit and then staked them in the ground. They cut a hole small enough in the gourd so that monkeys could get their hand inside. Then they would wait. When the monkeys came near, enticed by the smell, they would slip their hands into the gourd and grasp the fruit. The holes were small enough for the monkeys to slip their hands in, but it was too small for them to grasp the fruit and pull it out. As the villagers approached the monkeys with their nets, the monkeys would scream and try to pull their hand out of the gourd. But they would not release their grip of the fruit and would be captured.

What sin in our life are we holding on to? Sometimes in life we can see the pitfalls of our sin coming. We see pending consequences for our lust, our gossip, our greed and yet we can’t…. no, we won’t let go of the sin we are holding so tightly to. What is the sin in our lives that we are holding on to so tightly and risking so much for? What is the sin that we have made an idol in our lives? Temptation doesn’t have US in its grip, we have it in ours.

The Bible tells us to flee idolatry (1 Cor 10:14). God gives us the ability to flee from sin, it is up to us to chose to do it. It is up to us to open our hands and release ourselves from the trap. We can freely choose a life of bondage, or we can choose to accept the free gift that God is offering us. We have salvation from the traps and pitfalls that are out there. Our escape is through Christ Jesus’ saving grace and mercy.

We need to seek Christ in our lives, speak to Him in prayer and ask Him to help us from the bondage of the sin with which we struggle. We are told in Christ’s own words, “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you” (Matt 7:7). Ask God to give you the desire and strength to leave the idol that you’ve created behind. Ask him and then open your hand and just let go. You’ll find peace and joy in Christ’s freedom.

Greg Lily is a coach for some of MBC Loudoun’s Outreach Teams and is in charge of MBC Loudoun’s Connect Room.