My boys and I enjoy trapping. We don't trap to eat. We don't trap for money. We don't trap to kill. We simply trap to see what animals live in the woods next to our house and it's fun to catch them. We look at them for a bit, maybe take a photo, and then let them go. For my boys, you would think it's Christmas morning, with the excitement they show, as they wake up, run downstairs to look out the back window to see if they have caught anything. An end-piece of bread goes a long way when you're using it to catch a small animal.
If you look closely at this photo, you will see that this possum is free, but it isn't living like it. Last weekend, we woke up to this possum trapped in our "have a heart". After lifting the gate, for whatever reason, the possum was not ready to leave. I tried shaking it out and it simply used it's claws to grip the side as it hung on. So, we set the trap down with the gate open, to let it crawl out. Fast forward now four hours later, my son looked out and saw that the possum was still sitting in the cage with the gate open. It could have easily walked out and climbed back up the tree where it came from.
This picture is an illustration of many Christians. There are those who desire to follow Jesus, but still have a foot in the world. Their sinful nature has not been sanctified. These people have prayed the "sinners prayer", but have not fully repented of their sins and received the forgiveness that the blood of Jesus has purchased. John 8:36 says, "If the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed". Jesus wants to meet us in our battle to help us be overcomers.
The possum seemed to be so restless in the cage. At one point, we looked out and saw it pacing back and forth, even with the trap door open. It was as if he wanted to get out, but didn't know how. Eventually, we went back out there and after much prodding, the possum walked out of the cage and into freedom.
There was a time in my life when I was this possum. One of the ways God has redeemed my sinful nature has been in the area of honesty. I remember as a 9th grader, getting caught while cheating on a test. Well, that zero did not average well with my other scores and led to failing that class. It was horrible having to repeat this class in summer school. As difficult as that summer was, God was teaching me something bigger. He led me in repentance of dishonesty. That experience has projected me to a life of honesty. God continues to purify me as I long to walk in the freedom that Christ offers.
It is all too easy to get caught in a trap of sin. Sometimes we want to get out, and even with freedom available the temptation is too real, and the enemy will persuade us to fall into it. We just wander around the trap. This is when we need the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and the contrition of repentance, to step out and trust in the full atonement of Jesus Christ to set us free from our cycle of sin. Once we confess our sins, the Bible says, "He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." When we repent, we run in the other direction. We are then set on a path of freedom and holiness through Jesus Christ.
