Letting Go of Your Holy Grail

Suggested Reading: Proverbs 5:15-23

In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sean Connery plays the father of Indiana Jones, the world's most famous archaeologist. Himself an expert in antiquities, Connery's character has spent most of his life obsessed with finding the holy grail. When father and son finally discover the grail, Indiana Jones ends up having to choose between holding onto the artifact for which they have searched for so long and holding onto his life. Wisely, he chooses his life.

Like Indiana Jones, we face a choice everyday between holding onto those things we want and holding onto our lives. Proverbs 5:22-23 reads, "An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self- control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness" (HCSB).  All of us have those hidden pleasures, those things we don't want anyone to know about and we certainly don't want to let go of. Maybe it is a secret addiction to pornography. Maybe that daily gluttonous indulgence in junk foods or sodas. Maybe it is clinging to bitterness because someone hurt you when you know you should forgive them. Maybe it is that relationship that will lead you to places you should never go that you can't bring yourself to end.

Whatever it may be for you, if you continue to hold onto it, the result will be death. The death of a friendship, of a marriage, of individual health, or even physical death. Sin always brings death. There are no exceptions. Sometimes it comes more quickly. Sometimes it lingers, waiting until you least expect it. But always it comes. We cannot hope to hang onto our sin and remain in control. Sooner or later the very thing we cling to will be the cause of our demise.

Be careful what secret sin you hold onto. Chances are, you don't have it, it has you.