40-Day Devotion, Day 35

PREPARATION: READ 2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18

Ready, Set, Go: Answer The Call

Harry Houdini began his career by traveling throughout Europe, visiting small towns and challenging the local jailer to bind him up in a straitjacket and lock him in a cell. He had no trouble at all until he reached a small Irish village. In front of a huge crowd of townspeople and reporters, Houdini easily broke free of the straightjacket, but he failed to unlock the cell. It was an historic moment. No matter what he did, Houdini just could not unlock the cell door.

Obviously, the crowd was shocked! This had never happened before. Reporters ran for telephones to ring in the latest headline story about the capture of the great Houdini. And all the time, Houdini was doing his best to escape and save his reputation and his career. At last, after two hours, he gave up, admitted defeat and asked the jailer to release him.

When everyone had gone home Houdini asked the jailer, “What kind of a new lock do you have on the door of your cell?”
“Oh, said the jailer, “It’s a very ordinary lock. In fact it’s the same lock that’s on the jail in the last town you visited. You managed to pick that lock in less than 30 seconds!” When Houdini looked confused, the jailer continued, “To tell you the truth, I figured that you’d have no difficulty at all opening our lock... so I never bothered locking it.”

So Harry Houdini worked himself to near exhaustion trying to achieve what could be accomplished by simply pushing the door open. The only place the door was locked was in his mind.

This week, as we make the final turn in this study, spend some time reflecting on this question: what is keeping you from answer God’s call in your life? What things are holding you back? Weighing you down? Keeping you from pushing open the door? Have you allowed worry or pride or fear or isolation or any other stronghold to cast a shadow on your effectiveness in sharing the love of Christ? Is there anything in your spiritual life that makes you feel trapped as if the cell door is locked and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get it to open?

If that describes you, take heart. You may not have a key to the door, but God does. Ask Him to help you trust Him, and for the courage to follow Him. Don’t stay trapped behind a door that is not really locked. Allow God to set you free!

THINK ABOUT IT:
God even uses our worst moments for His glory.
Everything I endure is designedto prepare me for serving othersmore effectively. Everything. Since my Heavenly Father is committed to shaping me into the image of His Son, He knows the ultimate value of this painful experience. It is being used to empty our hands of our own resources, our own sufficiency, and turn us back to Him—the faithful Provider. And God knows what will get through to us.
Chuck Swindoll, from “Day by Day"

OUR CHALLENGE
Pray for the other members of your Home Accountability Group.
Look back over the devotions from the past week. Which devotions were most meaningful to you?
Read through 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. What do you notice in that verse that challenges you? Encourages you? Inspires you?