Bound for greatness
There are many things that have the potential to bind us even after we have become saved. But remember that above all else you are Bound For Greatness!
I have learned something that many of you may already know; the moment we become saved is not the moment we become immune to attacks from our adversary. The more we try to draw closer to the Lord, the more resistance we encounter. How do we find ourselves bound by one thing or another, even after getting saved? Isn’t the purpose of salvation to position us so that we no longer have to endure such things? Well, not really, because the purpose of salvation is to free us from sin and put us back in the right fellowship with the Lord. But remember that even if you are bound, you are Bound For Greatness!
Never Been Used
“And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; …” (Mark 11:2). Now, there is more than one way to look at this colt when it says that a man has never sat upon it. The first might be that it is pristine, clean, pure, and never touched. (This is what is so great about scripture; it can convey so many messages and reach many different people right where they are) But when I read this, it stood out that this colt had capabilities and much to offer, yet nobody had taken the time to find them out or even give this little guy a chance. Even animals need care and especially attention to live fulfilling lives. The scriptures say nothing about mistreatment or abuse, but he is tied up (bound) instead of being put loose inside an enclosed area, which is standard practice. It is easy to imagine this town has a stable pasture where other such animals are currently being stored.
Bound Tight
“… ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; …” (Mark 11:2). Again, here with our verse, but let us look at another point. We find here that our little fellow has been tied up. Looking up the bound definition, I found “to restrict or limit.” We don’t know how long he was here, but why was he not put into the pen with the other animals to enjoy his freedom? We know he had not just been used and temporarily tied up because the scripture states that no man has ever ridden him. If you read about animal care, particularly colts, and donkeys, you find they need space to run, play and eat. So we have few details given about this little guy, but we know he was never used and is bound up.
Set Free
“… loose him, and bring him” (Mark 11:2). Now remember that Jesus sent these to get the colt. I find it so powerful that in Jesus’ instructions, upon reaching the colt, the first thing to accomplish is to FREE him! I know they could not physically bring the colt to Jesus without doing this step, but please don’t miss out on the spiritual implication here. Jesus will be using this little guy, but he must be set free before he can be used! Jesus will free him and remove him from the setting that had him bound and unused (and bring him). Jesus is about to pull him out of obscurity and make him a crucial part of his ride into Jerusalem.
“… in thy presence is fulness of joy …” (Psalms 16:11). I am not convinced that we have to die and go to heaven to be in his presence and experience this joy. How often have I been in a beautiful service where the Lord has come into the house and thought, “There is no place like in his presence.” This little colt is about to be brought unto the Lord. He is about to have his bands removed and brought into the joy of the Lord and be used by him. We are genuinely prepared to deliver others once we have experienced God’s deliverance. Having tasted his deliverance and our newfound joy, we become the perfect agents to be used by him to take this same experience to others. Remember that Jesus did not lose the colt by his hands but used those around him to accomplish it. Likewise, we will be used to free others once Jesus has set us free.
Worthy To Be Used
“And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him” Now we find our little fellow having been set free and now in the presence of Jesus. He had never been used before or sat upon by man. Perhaps found unworthy for some reason by others, but when brought to Jesus, his worth was about to be proven. Jesus sat upon him while those around him swept the path before them as Jesus rode him into Jerusalem. How will things change in our lives once we encounter Jesus!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …” (John 1:14). This little colt went from being bound in obscurity and never used to carry the Word of God on his back. God, the Word made manifest in the person of Jesus, was riding upon him while men went before him, sweeping the ground he was about to step upon. His encounter with Jesus has shown that his life does have value, and Jesus saw that from afar in his bound-up condition.
Bound For Greatness
Maybe you find yourself today bound by something in your life. Perhaps a physical ailment in your body or something has happened in your past that keeps you from enjoying your life as thoroughly as Jesus wants you to. But remember our look at this little colt and that you are bound for success. Bound also means “certain to do or have something,” which means you have an unavoidable encounter with Jesus, and he will use you to accomplish great things. Before you are qualified to be used by Jesus, you must “go through” some things in your life. It would help if you were placed in situations where you feel alone and sometimes abandoned. These places will force you to rely upon Jesus; when he shows up in your life and does what you could not do for yourself, you will have something tangible to hold onto. You will have a personal deliverance to use in your testimony when God opens a door for you to minister to someone else. Remember that even in your situation, you are still Bound For Greatness!
