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Bread for the Journey

                                                                                                             Photo: Elora Rahn
Ensnared
A great teacher once said, "You have not taught until someone has learned."   
I always appreciate God's gentle teaching that is designed 
to make the lessons easily understood and learned.
One method God uses is that He placed in His creation unexpected mirrors that catch us off guard and reveal to us that untucked shirt, that smudge across our cheek, that tuft of unruly hair, that ketchup spot on the front of our t-shirt.

Yesterday my granddaughter snapped the above photo.  
It was one of God's strategically placed mirrors for us all to look into. 

My kids have a bird feeder, but of course the birds are not the only ones 
to have found this delectable food source.  
The squirrels are regulars at this feeding station. 

But yesterday a squirrel's greed almost cost him his life.  
 Just before they left the house, my kids saw him hanging upside down
gorging his cheeks full of bird seed.
They returned four hours later and he was still in the same position, 
still filling his cheeks and body with the seed.  
Something seemed amiss. 

Upon inspection they realized that the squirrel in securing his position had wrapped his tail 
around the coiled wire elbow in the post from which the feeder hung.  
When he wanted to let go, his furry tail was tangled in the coil 
and in trying to get loose, he simply twisted his tail a few more times as he swung around.   
But undaunted by his inability to get free, he continued to eat.   
My son in law finally went out with wire cutters to cut the coil, setting the squirrel free, 
minus some fur and the tip of his tail.  
I'm sure he went home with an upset stomach and an aching tail.   
Will he appreciate his freedom ? or will he come back for more....  

Are we not just like that squirrel ?   
We are entangled in Satan's snare, our eternity in question, yet we gorge ourselves with the goodies this world offers.   
We might make an effort to free ourselves but realize we cannot 
and we continue to consume the things our greed tempts us with. 
But just like my son in law freed the squirrel who could not free himself, 
so also God sent Jesus to 'cut us free' from the bondage of sin that we are entangled  in.   
Jesus has provided the 'wire cutters' of the cross, 
we need only to accept what He has done for us 
and we can enjoy the freedom we were created to have. 

  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, 
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." 
Gal.5:1

9 comments:

  1. Such a great lesson from God's creation today Julie. A good reminder not to be entangled in the things that tempt us from this world.

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  2. Good lesson. Thanks for such a well written reminder.

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  3. What a great object lesson, Julie!

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  4. Thank you for sharing this, Julie. Great reminder.

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  5. Reminds me of the Aesop's Fable where the monkey reached into a narrow necked jug to help himself to food and was unwilling to let go of his prize, leaving him trapped and caught. You are so right about the similarity between the squirrel's dilemma and ours as sinners. I am so grateful we have a god, a Savior, who forgives us and teaches us his ways... even though I am often a very slow learner !

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  6. Happy New Year!

    - Alma, The Tablescaper

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  7. This story mirrors our own predicament so well! I'm thankful for a Savior who came to set us free
    and continues to help us. I wonder if that squirrel will be coming back for more?

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  8. Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing on your feed and I am hoping you write again very soon!

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