Dean Tanner of Anchorage, Alaska, looked out his window one morning and was a little surprised to see that his daughter’s swing set was no longer in the back yard. Now this was no ordinary swing set, because he had built it. It was 14 feet long and 10 feet high and made of heavy lumber. Someone had gone to a lot of work to steal that heavy, bulky swing set. Mr. Tanner’s first thought was to call the police and report the stolen swing set.
After calling the police Mr. Tanner went outside to look around the yard. He found tracks in the snow made by the swing set’s heavy lumber as it was being dragged away by the thieves.
As Mr. Tanner turned the corner to the side of the house, he stopped and stared in amazement! There was the swing set lying in the driveway, and lying beside it was the thief. With his horns all tangled up in the swing chains lay a rather tired-looking bull moose!
Mr. Tanner and his daughter tried to get near to untangle the moose, but he was a very unhappy bull moose and would not let them get too close. So they called the Fish and Wildlife Department about their problem. They sent one of their workers who came and shot a tranquilizer dart into the animal.
When the moose began to get sleepy, they quickly untangled the swing chains from his horns. Then the worker gave him another shot to wake him up, and in a few minutes he got to his feet and ran back into the bush.
Boys and girls, this poor old moose is a picture of you and me. Because our sins have separated us from God, we are all tangled up in Satan’s chains of sin. And no matter how much we struggle or how hard we try, we can’t get free from those chains. We just drag all our sinful ways and habits along with us. But there is Someone who wants to cut off those chains of sin for us. The Lord Jesus Christ came here for that very purpose! Only He had the power to defeat Satan, untangle those chains of sin, and set us free. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)).
If you are still tangled up in your chains of sin, let Jesus set you free from sin and its terrible end, which is everlasting darkness. Will you tell Him about your sins and that you want Him to take them away? He will set you free and give you peace and joy in your heart. “If the Son [Jesus] therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:3636If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)).
ML-06/01/1997