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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #379 January 10, 2002 The Big Black Box The weight of the big black box was more than he could carry. The box felt as big as a coffin and just seemed to load him down. There was no one around who could help him carry it, so he struggled on. He thought about opening the box and taking some of the things out, but was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to get the lid sealed again properly and everything in the box would be freed. He didn’t know what was in the box, but he knew that its contents frightened him. He had come to think of the box as holding "them", and knew that they were alive and evil. He couldn’t just walk away from it because he was chained to it in several places. A few times he had tried to cut the chains, but when he started, he felt the contents of the box stirring again and was afraid they, whatever they were would be freed to torment him. We’re all like the man in my little metaphor. We carry around a big black coffin full of evil. The evil is the pains and sins from the past that we are afraid to deal with. We’re afraid that if people knew they would reject us. We’re afraid that if we try and deal with bits and pieces of it, somehow it will all escape at once and destroy us. We struggle on, and the longer it is left undealt with the heavier it becomes and the stronger and heavier the chains becomes. Charles Dickens had it right when he spoke of Jacob Marley carrying around chains he had created himself from his own life. We’re not ghosts but the chains still drag us down. What do we do with them? How do we get rid of the box? We give it over to Jesus to carry. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NIV He already knows what is in the box; it can’t take us away from His love: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 NIV Until next time, may you take the heavy coffin that you have been keeping a secret and give it to Him to carry. God bless. Kevin Are you looking for someone to carry the burdens of your pain and shame? Turn to a personal relationship with Jesus because only He can set you free. Email me and I’ll share a few Bible verses that explain why a relationship with Him is important and a prayer that will make it possible. Don’t carry that load any more. Accept the love and forgiveness of Jesus today. To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us at corbin_writer@hotmail.com. or write us at : Gleanings From The Word, 114 Oak Street, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada, T8A 0V8 At Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential. If you enjoyed this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page on our website
 © 2001 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin All Rights Reserved SUBSCRIBE TO GLEANINGS FOR FREE
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