Hi, welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for the daily challenges.

Our daily challenges are meant to help you explore what it means to follow Jesus, even if you don’t have a lot of time. We have a rhythm that keeps us in sync, even if we’re not a community that meets together in person regularly. Every Monday we introduce the week’s idea. Every Tuesday we study it in the Bible. Every Wednesday we see how that challenges and transforms our thinking on the topic. Thursdays we try to apply and live it out. Friday is a day for prayer and reflection before we take a rest on Saturday, and Sundays we meet together with others in community.

Our series right now is called “We Are”. It follows on two other series – “God Is…” and “Jesus Is…”. Our attention now turns to us, human beings, and what knowing God and following Jesus actually means for our lives.

Have you ever felt trapped in life? Like there are just too many outside forces at work for you to really do what you want, need, or could really do?

Have you felt so trapped by a certain line of work, that you didn’t think you could break into a new industry?

Have you felt so trapped by a relationship that you couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without facing jealousy and anger?

Have you ever felt so confined by people’s beliefs about you, because of your personality, abilities, education, or iother attributes that you thought you’d never get your break?

I’ve known and cared for so many people like this, and have had the particular joy of seeing htem break through to what they thought was impossible, where they realize they really are free, and the thigns that once confined them aren’t as strong as they thought.

It’s like the old story about an elephant tied up with a small rope, maybe even a string. Because he was first tied up with a heavy chain, and knew that it was impossible to break free, and didn’t notice as his keepers gradually reduced the size and strength of the tether.

I have no idea if this would really work or not, but it’s illustrative about our lives, especially as followers of Jesus. We can get fixated on what binds us, sin and death, rather than realizing we are truly free in Christ, regardless of what happens in this world.   That’s what we’ll explore this week!

Question: What kinds of things can bind, enslave, or hold us back in this life? In your life?