“This is really heavy. Maybe too heavy to wear for an extended time. But I’ll try it anyway.” That’s what I was thinking the other day as I put on a beautiful necklace with large stones. I like the necklace a lot and got it as a souvenir in one of my favorite cities but I rarely wear it because after I bought it I realized that it’s a bit heavy sitting around my neck; especially for longer periods of time. It made me think about the bondages that often hold us down in life. Those things that keep us chained and in the proverbial pit. We notice the heaviness of those chains but how do we get free?

Isaiah 52 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible! God is calling His people out of captivity in Babylon. He is getting ready to deliver them from what has been oppressing them. That is something to celebrate! In verses 1-3 He says:

“Awake, awake, Zion,
clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.

Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”

I love how God tells His people exactly what they need to do. God is going to deliver them but they have a part to play, too. They have to make a decision to stand up, to get free, to walk into their true identity in God, and to get moving forward! In John Wesley’s commentary he notes this about the word “awake” — “This is a prediction and promise what she should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous.” Matthew Henry adds, “The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Christ, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fears, and loose themselves from those bands. The price (is) paid by the Redeemer for our salvation…”

So…
+What is holding you down? Is there a stronghold or invisible chain around your neck? Is it from past mistakes? Fear of moving forward? Hurtful, untrue words that shaped your thinking?

+Will you make a decision today to rise up, shake off the dust of victim thinking, break those unhealthy chains and move forward in Christ? If you don’t know where to begin, ask God to show you. He will. He wants you to be free!

Prayer
God, You truly are our deliverer and You are able to break every chain that binds us so we can follow Your call to stand up and move forward into more and more of the abundant life that Jesus offers us (John 10:10). Help us to be strong and courageous as we make a decision to “awake” and partner with you as You deliver us from strongholds. Amen.