The wind-sock pointed up the steep hill like an arrow as my friend, Tristan, raced downward toward the cliffs.  Soon the wind lifted my friend and his hang glider into the air, pushing him higher and higher in the warm air currents.   Within seconds, Tristan flew past the cliffs over the ocean and soared into the clouds.

Flying blindly now, Tristan watched his altimeter climb as he turned the kite back toward shore.  He expected to climb through the clouds to the blue sky above, but the soup continued to get thicker and thicker.  Moving quickly past 10,000 feet, Tristan continued to ascend as hail started to drop around him – but there was no blue sky, and he couldn’t pull out of the climb.

Like being stuck inside a giant straw, the air seemed to suck his kite upward – now passing 14,000 feet – and Tristan worried that he would pass out from lack of oxygen, so he did what he had to do.  He cut himself free of the hang-glider and pummeled downward through the cumulous cloud.  As he broke through the cloud he pulled his parachute chord and glided back to land!

This true story has many remarkable lessons, but I want to talk about the courage that Tristan had when he pulled out his knife and cut himself free.   You see, the Bible encourages us over and over, to have the courage to cut ourselves free from sin, trusting that we will fall into God’s hands.

Sometimes sin entices, but how quickly it can suck us into danger.  Take pornography and suddenly it sucks you in, until you want more and more.   Perhaps some liquor just to escape, and before you know it, you cannot escape from the liquor itself.  Maybe you’ve been deeply hurt and you choose to be offended until you soon find yourself sucked into a spirit of   resentment and bitterness.

How do we avoid these snares?  By choosing to cut those chords.  By choosing in advance to live by faith to receive God’s promises.  God is there to help us soar to the safety of his loving arms.

Let’s pray:  Dear Jesus, please help us to trust you enough to cut the chords of sin.  We want to fall – fall deep into your love.  Fall deep into your promises that you truly want what is best for us.  Right now, I want to cut the chords of sin, and give my life to you again.