The news feed celebrated the work of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers that helped a bull elk who was tired, literally TIRE-d. You see, the bull elk had a tire around its neck for more than two years. The article went on to include an encouragement to residents to be mindful of the items on their property that could cause wildlife to become tangled. Things like swing sets, hammocks, clothing lines, holiday lighting, tomato cages, soccer goals, and even furniture.

How about you? Are you tired? Are you tangled? What is it that you’re carrying around your neck today? What has you tangled up? Our lives have plenty of things that we can get stuck in. Sometimes, as in the case of this bull elk, it’s clearly evident to others as we walk through our day. What’s interesting is that this TIRE-d bull elk was seen by officials more than a year and a half earlier. The problem was, was that this bull elk wasn’t walking up to them asking for help. What an incredible picture of our current culture.

So many of us are walking tired or tangled up. Fear has us tangled up and even trapped. And so we keep walking through another day in a way from those who could help free us. If you’re walking tired or tangled today, I want you to know that Jesus sees you. His heart is like that of those wildlife officers, but even better, He longs to set you free and restore you to the joy of His salvation and redeemed living.

In fact, He invites you right now to stop, lay down next to Him and allow Him to remove the burden from around your neck. Can you hear that invitation today? He says, “Come to me, you who are obviously weary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank You that You do see us, that You’re aware of us, and that You’ve come to rescue us. We can so easily become entangled in our sin, in the sin and brokenness of those around us, and in the tiresome journey in this life. Yet, You come to us as our Savior and so help us to sit down next to You and to experience Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.