10 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, 11 for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. 12 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Have you ever just sat and pondered life? Too often we run and hurry, we plan and scheme, we work hard with devotion to our career. All of this is done in the quest for a better life that affords us freedom to choose and the opportunity to have more things. One day we awake to realize that this wonderful life has become a prison and bondage instead of the freedom we envisioned. Our career controls our every minute. Paying for our things controls our finances. So then we set our minds to enjoy all of this at some future date when things will slow down. But instead of things getting better we find it only becomes more of the same and worse for us. What is the answer to this kind of life?

Jesus can control it all. He can free us from our bondage and loose us from our prison of materialism. We must be willing to yield control to him and give up our greed and selfishness. We become pawns in his hands to serve others without any expectation of return – at least in this life. We use what he has given us to bless the lives of those who do not have. We use our time to teach others about him and to encourage those who are struggling, to lift those who are down and to hold up the arms of those who are facing the difficult battles of life. To use the words of Jesus; we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then quietly rest with the assurance of his promise that he will provide all of our needs. He also said that when we give up this life we will be blessed with friends and family beyond our imagination. We will be loved for who we are and not what we have. What we are will be because he made us and not because of what we have accomplished ourselves. Only by total submission can we find true freedom.

O God please set me free from the things of this life and allow me to open my heart to your control. Use me as a pawn in your hand and help me to use all that you have given to me to serve you by serving others. Increase my faith and forgive my doubt and fear. Give me peace that only you can give. I praise you for your goodness. I pray in the name of Jesus my Savior.

May God bless each of us as we submit to his control today.