Leave it Behind

Nº 189 weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - March 15, 2022

Surely that man must be in an unhealthy state of soul who can think of all that Jesus suffered, and yet cling to those sins for which that suffering was undergone. It was sin that wove the crown of thorns; it was sin that pierced our Lord’s hands and feet and side; it was sin that brought Him to Gethsemane and Calvary, to the cross and to the grave. Cold must our hearts be if we do not hate sin and labor to get rid of it. - J.C. Ryle

In late January of 1781 General Cornwallis – with his large, well-trained, and well-equipped British army – chased General Greene and his small, ragtag army of frontiersmen and Continental soldiers across North Carolina toward Virginia. The incessant, cold winter rain turned the roads of North Carolina into impassable, muddy quagmires. To speed their pursuit and try to engage Greene’s army before it escaped into Virginia, Cornwallis ordered his men to rid themselves of all “superfluous baggage.” A huge bonfire consumed their wagons, supplies, tents, and even their rum! They only retained the essentials to live and fight. Fortunately, from an American perspective, Greene escaped across the Dan River hours before Cornwallis arrived, thwarting his planned attack and allowing the Americans time to regroup and resupply. The amazing part of the story is the willingness of the British soldiers to sacrifice their comforting yet non-essential baggage to achieve their goal. The writer of Hebrews calls us to a challenge similar to the one Cornwallis put before his men: “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” (Hebrews 12:1b) Accept the challenge. Throw off whatever impedes your pursuit of God, your progress toward healthy relationships, and your advance toward righteousness.

Dan Bolin President Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc