If You Are Trapped on a Treadmill

It was my first day of vacation, and I was exploring all the new things my parents had added to their home since my last visit. When I found an exercise treadmill, I decided my first try at it would be then and there.

My knowledge of treadmills was very limited. I knew the rubber thing on the bottom went around and that I was supposed to walk on it. So, I stepped on it and pushed the "on" button.

Before I knew what had happened, my feet were out from beneath me and I was holding on to the side rails, not knowing what to do. Unknown to me, my brother had innocently turned the machine's speed up to its maximum, which seemed at the time to be somewhere around 75 mph!

Of course, my automatic response was to get up, but every time I tried to raise my knee, it was dragged back to its helpless position again. And, worse yet, the harsh rubber tread belt was rubbing away at the skin of my right knee. I did find one thing I could do--I started screaming for help!

I'm sure the picture to anyone looking on would have been comical. But at the time, it was scary, humiliating, and almost paralyzing.

A lot of thoughts flashed through my mind. What if I can't get off? What if I'm stuck here for a long time? What if nobody hears my cries for help? Or even worse, what if they hear but won't come and rescue me? What if this thing pulls me under and I get hurt really bad?

But let me stop my story for a moment, and let's think about your life. Did you ever get curious about a situation, decide to try it, and then find out that what looked interesting and harmless could really hurt when you were in the middle of things? And that even though you didn't enjoy it, you couldn't get away from it? Perhaps you have felt like someone tricked you into "getting on the treadmill" and now you are stuck, trying to cope, trying to get up again, trying to do anything but stay there and continue experiencing the pain that is eating away at you.

Maybe you have even thought as I did: What if I can't get off? What if I'm stuck here for a long time? What if nobody hears my cries for help? Or even worse, what if they hear but won't come and rescue me? What if this thing pulls me under and I get hurt really bad?

There are many things that can trap us in life, but there is one thing that can help us stay away from these traps: the Bible. We could even call it an "Instruction Book for Treadmills." In Isaiah 48:18, God says, "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea."

God doesn't like to see people in pain. He created us, and He longs to help us out of the traps of life we have gotten into and then help us to stay away from them in the future.

Can you guess how my treadmill story ended? Do you know how I got off the treadmill? I had to let go of the rails (which was my only means of support and "safety") and roll off!

Are you stuck on a "treadmill"? As a fellow sufferer, I beg you to let go and roll into God's waiting arms. Perhaps it looks too scary to let go. Ask God to give you the courage. He is waiting to help you. But, the only way He can help you is if you do it His way. And His way is by believing in His only Son, Jesus Christ.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

I still have a scar on my right knee from my treadmill experience, and every time I see it, I'm reminded about how easy it is to get lured into situations that we know nothing about.

I also know what it is like to trust Jesus Christ as my Friend and Guide. Won't you take Him into your heart and life? He really will change your life. And He will help you off any "treadmill" on which you are stuck right now, as you trust in Him!

IF YOU WANT A NEW LIFE

THE PROVISIONS:

"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten SON" (John 3:16).

"He that hath the SON hath LIFE; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12).

"He that spared not his own SON, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us ALL THINGS" (Romans 8:32)?

THE CONDITIONS:

"He that BELIEVETH on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).

"He that HEARETH MY WORD, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24)

"If any man will come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, and FOLLOW ME" (Luke 9:23).

RECEIVING CHRIST:

To receive Christ, God's Son, as your Lord and Saviour, renounce yourself and your own ways, believe in Jesus as your personal Saviour, and begin to follow Him. You will want to join a group of fellow believers--a group that believes and practices what the Bible says.

Sometimes when we get what we want, we also get what we don't want.

You may request printed copies of this tract from Christian Light Publications.

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