When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
When reading these verses, some may flash to an old-time monster movie where the mummy lunges forward with their arms held out and their gait awkward because of the wrappings.
Like a mummy, we often stumble after God has set us free—from eternal death, from sin, from old habits, from mistakes. But sometimes we let the trappings of the old still wrap around us when we have been made new.
Our second, third, or sixtieth chance fails because we don’t take off the bindings of our sin. We feel fresh in our hearts, our eyes are bright, and we trod off like a toddler just learning to walk.
Jesus unbinds us, but when we return to the pigpen, we get dirty again. We tire of battling the same sinful behavior we have carried for years—or maybe decades. Jesus wants this done once and for all. His death made it possible; now we just have to give it over.
Examine what leads to sin in your life: people, places, things, the past. Excise them before you step into your new and improved future.
Getting rid of a sin can be like unwrapping a healed wound. It takes more than one step. Make a list of your sins. Call upon the blood of Jesus to cleanse you as you pray them aloud, blow them away, and breathe in new life.
One by one, hand your sins to Christ and break what binds you.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Cecil Stokes founded Tentmakers Entertainment in 1999. He is an Executive Producer/Writer/Producer/Director. He has worked on over 500 cable television shows for networks such as A&E, Court TV, DIY, ESPN, Food Network, HGTV, History Channel, and Turner. For his television programming, he won multiple awards including the New York Film Festival, the Communicator Award, dozens of Tellys, and an Emmy. Cecil’s award-winning documentaries include “A Man Named Pearl” and “Children of all Ages.” Cecil also co-created and produced the feature film “October Baby.” Most recently, he has written, produced, and directed over 100 branded entertainment projects for the Scripps Networks (HGTV, DIY, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Fine Living & GAC).
In 2015, Cecil adopted his son Boone from foster care at the age of eight. He has learned first-hand the beautiful and the brutal of raising a son from foster care. Though he had traversed 13 countries and 46 states, walked the Red Carpet, and lived what felt like a dream life, Cecil says his life did not begin until the day he became a father. With new awareness of the great need we have for the adoption of legally free foster children, Cecil now campaigns for Christians to step forward and become the forever families Christ’s children deserve.