2021 Daily Devotion - Day 297

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Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist, issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always, he kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For 30 minutes, he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Finally, after laboring for 2 hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind, it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell.

This happens to us from time to time. We worry about something so much that we begin to believe all of our fears. Or, we are so certain we are right and have all the answers, and so we are unable to be open to new ideas or possibilities.

Galatians 6:3-4 ESV
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

We must constantly realize we are limited in a great deal of our thinking, and then remember it is only God who knows everything. In this position of humility God can do a new work in our lives.

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, liberate us from our tendency to have a closed mind. Open up our thinking to remember only You know all things. Give us the humility to learn something new; especially from You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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