Today we continue examining the call to be a dutiful soldier for Jesus Christ (in 2 Tim 2:4).
Years ago, I used to clear rope entanglements in a ship’s propeller in my vocation as a naval diver. It was a very laborious process. All we had was a simple knife. My team and I would take on an average of 4-6 hours to painstakingly cut through the huge mess of rope which was wound around the propeller. If these entanglements were not removed, the ship would have been unable to set sail.
Similarly, unless we begin to clear the entanglements in our lives, we will never be useful for our Master’s purposes.
What are some entanglements we commonly find ourselves caught in?
Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to “…throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles….”
The first major entanglement we need to cut away is sin – sins of pride, sins of lust, sins of gluttony etc. To cut away the entanglement of sin requires practical action of some sort. Sin can never be cut by merely having the desire to do so or simply by confessing our sin daily. To deal with the sin of pride, for example, may require you to do more menial tasks at home or at work when no one is present. To deal with the sin of lust, for example, may mean installing a website filter. To deal with the sin of gluttony, for example, may mean setting aside two days a week, deliberately fasting lunch or dinner.
Questions for Reflection:
Are there some sins you find yourselves easily entangled in? Take time to share them with your cell group or text some close Christian friends. Share some concrete action plans you intend to undertake so that there is some form of accountability.