Issue 1524 – Trapped – August 13, 2024
Yesterday, Kathy and I traveled with some friends to the sleepy little border town/maritime village of Blaine, Washington. We toured the city, walked one of the public piers, and enjoyed a delicious lunch from a little Mexican place.
I forgot the restaurant’s name, but it’s next to the tourist information office. It’s take-out only, but there are plenty of seats outside. It’s a place where the locals dine. On the subject of tourist information, the woman staffing the centre was pleasant and helpful. It’s definitely the place to go for local information.
I spotted this stack of crab pots on our walk out to the public pier.
The traps have various-sized openings. The larger openings permit crabs to enter but not escape, while the smaller openings allow the smaller crabs to find their way back out.
The crabs come into the pot looking to eat the bait placed by the fisherman and find themselves trapped.
That is a good metaphor for the way sin works. We see what we desire, and before long, we are trapped, unable to free ourselves. Once trapped, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
James, the brother of Jesus, describes it like this:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:13-15
Just as the crab is trapped by following its desire for food, we are trapped by our own desires. Satan didn’t make you do it; in all likelihood, you have never encountered him. We are far too insignificant to warrant his personal attention. Still, the traps are placed, and we choose to wander into them.
Fortunately, Jesus offers us rescue from our own broken nature and its results. Otherwise, like the crabs, we are trapped and destined for destruction.
He gives us the Word and Spirit to help keep us out of the crabpots of sin as we grow to be more like Him. We still stumble and find ourselves trapped, but the Lord rescues us time and time again.
Until next time, when we find the seeming delights of sin calling our names, let us turn to Jesus for deliverance before it gives birth.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV)