Not to long ago, I was at the side of a lake with a bunch of guys. Our leader said you have 30 seconds to be in the water and to start swimming to the other side. We each had a piece of split firewood that we were not supposed to get wet. I held the log up high with one hand and started swimming. I started out on my back and paddled with my feet. This wasn’t too bad until I got off course because I couldn’t see where I was going. So then I had to constantly roll over to see where I was going and I started sinking because I was not floating on my back anymore.
Halfway across the lake my arms and legs were failing. I ran out of energy. I couldn’t get enough air. The planned out swimming formations were gone. A little bit of panic set in. Furious dog paddling with one arm was all I had left. Doing everything I could to keep my head above the water, no longer getting any closer to the other side of the lake. The weight of this little log was slowly drowning me. Stealing all of my strength and oxygen just to keep it dry. With my head underwater and no air the time had come, either let myself drown to this log or let it go.
I LET GO! We all have sin that we hold onto. We carry grudges and don’t forgive. We hold onto our pride. We are enslaved in selfishness. The list goes on and on. God knows all the sin in our lives. He loves us and gives us the choice to drop our sin in his grace. We think we can “handle” our sin but the truth is, it is only a matter of time before it drains us completely to the point of death. Stealing all our energy just to stay above the water instead of reaching the goal.
When you give God everything, EVERYTHING changes and your freedom in Christ is like nothing else, putting everything this earth attempts to offer to shame. Learn from the rich young ruler in Matthew 19: 16-26, for he would not let go of his sin, and let his possessions rule his life. Don’t let things of this world hinder you from swimming freely in Christ! In the fall of 2009 I let go of one of my many logs, and God shook everything, which brought me onto this path of the World Race!
