Bind the captives!

I've probably seen too many pirate movies. The idea of captives totally resonates with me. I'm so visual; I can just picture a pirate prodding his bound, helpless captives off the plank.

Lately, I've wrestled with a mostly irrational fear. While the fear coming to pass is a possibility, it's something I can do nothing about. I find myself rationalizing, pleading with God, ignoring it - I've tried the full array of ineffective solutions.

But God, in his tender mercy, keeps drawing me back to 2 Corinthians 10:5 -

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I keep picturing these fearful thoughts - bound, gagged, handed over to Christ. He's the victor; he knows what to do with these lies. Every time one crops up, I wrestle it loose and hand it over.

But, there's more to the verse. I've been pondering what Paul means by demolishing arguments that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. I hope I'm not misinterpreting, but I believe I need to take demolish every rationalization I make, every thought I have about why something wouldn't happen to me. Those things are lies in contrast with the truth of the gospel and God's great love for me.

So, I will continue to ask Christ to make these fears and lies "walk the plank." Instead, I'll remember the great, merciful love he has for me and rest in his care.