Last Monday morning I attended a small men's prayer and Bible study in El Paso, Texas that I enjoy very much. The men meet every Monday and I get excited every time that I am able to attend. The men that attend are mostly ministers and most of them have been in the Lord's work for many, many years. For me it is a time to receive and also to pour into their lives. One of the men shared with the rest of us an experience that he had recently. That is the reason for this blog entry. I wanted to share with you the simplicity and the power of what he shared with us.
The man that shared this story has been serving the Lord, along with his wife, for many years. I am always amazed when this particular brother shares about his service to the Lord and the things that he has gone through in life. He admitted to us this past Monday that he and his wife had a falling out very recently, proving that even those who are strong in the Lord have issues once in a while. His wife, a very Godly woman and used mightily by the Lord, was having a difficult time with the recent problem in their marriage. At one time the word "divorce" was used and he suggested to her to give it until the end of the month before anything was done.
In the meantime there was a planned trip to Denver to visit a daughter and her family. While at the daughter's house their grandson (I think his age is 9) wanted to go fishing with his grandparents. This couple had a habit of taking their grand kids to a particular fishing place. The fishing spot was a catch and release place. So any fish caught had to be taken off the hook and released. But they always enjoyed visiting this fishing spot. He told us that his grandson had already caught and released about 9 good size bass. They would all watch as the fish were unhooked and released back to freedom. In no time the fish released were out of sight again.
But even in the midst of the fun of fishing with their grandson the couple was still troubled about their issue. As they fished, the wife was praying about their situation. As she occupied herself fishing and praying she suddenly heard a voice say, "Let him off the hook". The voice was unrecognizable so she turned to see who spoke the words. She heard the words again. No one around her had spoken these words. Then she realized that it was the Spirit of God speaking to her, in the fashion that He spoke to the prophet Samuel when he was a young boy. LET HIM OFF THE HOOK!!!
There is so much beauty in how God speaks to us where we are. "Let him off the hook" were words that she immediately understood. She knew that she had to forgive her husband and she had forgotten how to do that. She had to let her husband off the hook. God was showing her how simple that it was. LET HIM OFF THE HOOK!!! So simple, yet so profound and life changing!!! She "let him off the hook" and the problem between them disappeared.
When my dear brother shared this with us my mind began to paint another picture. It was a picture of how when someone does us wrong we "hook" them and we feel that they "owe us" for the damage and the hurt that they have caused us. We think that we are holding them liable...as prisoners. They are indebted to us. But we don't realize that we are causing ourselves the damage. That's why we MUST let them off the hook. When we do that, we are setting ourselves free. We may be the ones holding the rod and reel but when we "hook" someone there's a line that binds us captive to them.
Is there someone at the end of your line? LET THEM OFF THE HOOK!!! ...And set yourself free!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Daniel Torres
650 Linwood Drive
El Paso, Texas 79928
(501)827-7679
d_torres53@yahoo.com
For tax credit send contributions to:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, AR 72415
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