Weekly Devotion — Roger Lipe

B O N D A G E

http://devotions4competitors.blogspot.com/2012/07/b-o-n-d-g-e-john-1144-have-you-ever.html

John 11:44

Have you ever seen a teammate or friend who seems to be bound by something?  It looks like they have something wrapped around their life, which is just choking the life out of them.  How do we help the situation?  What can be done to free them?  Jesus did that very thing in today’s letter.

We read about Jesus and Lazarus again at John chapter 11 and verse 44, “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave-clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him and let him go.’”

Lazarus was bound with grave-clothes and his face was covered with a cloth.  He had been in the grave for four days, that’s what dead men wear.  But here he comes walking out and Jesus says to loose him and let him go.  Living men don’t wear grave-clothes.

Your teammate or friend may be bound with something equally unfitting.  Bad relationships, drug addictions, defeated attitudes and despair don’t fit this team.  They’re inappropriate for a group like this.  Jesus says the same to us, “Let him loose and let him go.” 

Whatever it is that has your teammate or friend bound, find a way to set him free.  We can help loose the bonds and restore freedom.

As you compete today, loose your teammates to play with greatness by freely encouraging and challenging each one.  Let them go with unselfish team play and powerful focus on the game.