In The Master's Service

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Hobbled By A Stake

Elder Louis Culver

From the time it weighs about two hundred pounds, the circus elephant is hobbled by a chain and stake. With a band securely fastened around its leg, the baby elephant is securely attached by a chain to a ten-pound stake driven into the ground. This elephant grows and grows, until it weighs several tons, yet that same small chain and ten-pound stake still keeps the adult elephant confined within the same radius in which the baby elephant was confined.

Elephants are supposed to have great memories, not ever forgetting anything. And so it is with the elephants. How, then, is it possible for the same weak chain and small stake that restrained the baby elephant to restrain the big adult elephant? The elephant has a very good memory: it remembers that it could not escape the bondage of the chain and stake as a baby elephant. The elephant is very dumb: it has never figured out that it is possible, now that it is grown and very strong, for it to break away from the restraint of its youth, when it did not have strength enough to escape. Freedom is very near, even within very easy reach of the elephant, but it has not figured this out.

We are just exactly like that elephant. We become entangled with sin and find that we are not strong enough to break away from the bondage of it. We stand hobbled by the temptations of the devil when he binds us with his fetters and chains. We grow to fear trying to escape from the "stake and chain" the devil has used to enslave us. As we grow stronger in the Lord, as He imparts His strength within us, we still adhere to the boundaries in which we have been slaves for so long. We, like the elephant, do not realize that our strength has increased many times over. We do not step out of the radius to which the devil has limited us by his acts of bondage.

Freedom is very near, even within very easy reach of us, but we have not figured this out. Today, purpose to step out of that radius, out of that confining circle, and launch out into the deep, into the waters of freedom, waters that will wash away the stains of our life in bondage, and cleanse us for our new walk in strength of the Lord as He has placed His strength within us, His children, who have now grown in strength, and who are, I trust, ready to grow in wisdom and knowledge of the freedom given us by the purchase made by Jesus long ago when He bought us out of bondage.

Through the strength of the Lord placed within us, we are able to break those weak chains of bondage, to pull up those puny stakes, to loose the bands of restraint, and walk away from that life of bondage and enter into that life of freedom by the Spirit of God that indwells every child of God.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."