Freedom
I was thinking about Texas' new law that states that if an unborn child has a heartbeat, then it can not be aborted.(paraphrasing) For a brief moment I felt proud that Texas created a new law that was different from most states. For a brief moment.....
I'm not here to debate politically but what do you think God said about that law? It can be looked at two different ways. If your baby has a heart beat it is spared being pulled apart by doctors instruments and dismembered until death. If it doesn't...it isn't. You then have permission to kill it.
Thou shalt not kill.
That is what God says.
In America we have freedom.
Regardless of the changes in the last 100 years or so we really do. We have the freedom to say what we want to, do what we want to, go and live where we want to, become whoever we want to become. Most third world countries do not even have the freedom to do what we Americans do, but I have noticed over my fifty-one years there is a deception that tends to follow wordly freedoms.
Worldy freedom can make us (I say us because I am guilty as well) complacent, lazy and selfish.
Hear me out, please.
There are home churches, that are held in secret, that people walk miles to go to, who if found out would be killed....just to be free in Christ and we complain that the door greeter didn't say hello to us. Voices of the Martyrs will send you free reading material on the subject. You should spend some time on that. It's worth it.
They are not in a free country but they are SO free, free from fear, free from complacency.
Texans are proud that we stand apart in our new laws. Laws that are supposed to secure our freedoms, yet they are still not as freeing as we are in Christ.
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
Freedom is more than red, white, blue, and potato salad on the Fourth of July. Real freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ and when you truly find it, you are truly free.
What does that look like?
I am free to tell you about Jesus.
I am free to live and love like Jesus, laying my life down, even unto death if necessary.
In practical terms, I am free to let someone go first, putting my wants and desires aside, so that theirs may be fulfilled. I am also free to do what is hard so that others don't have to. I am also free to tell someone when they have hurt me and tell them not to do it again, in truth and love. I am also free to teach, correct, love, discipline, enjoy, suffer, sing, and whatever other verb that you can think of that Jesus Himself did while he walked the earth.
I recently learned that Thomas Jefferson made his own bible. He took pieces of six bibles, withholding all miracles, including only the moral things that Jesus did. Google it if you don't believe me. There is a whole documentary of how a team of experts restored the book so that others may read the words he pieced together. It aggrivated me a little but guess what? He had the freedom to do that for whatever reason he desired. I'm not calling it right or wrong but he was free to do it.
How much freedom do you have? What are you free to do? Better yet, what are you free to do but aren't doing?
Bear with me for one more example.
This weekend my husband and I went to a little fishing spot. Two pre-teenage girls and a Dad made their way to where we were fishing. We didn't know them. The two girls were enjoying themselves but were cussing like sailors. After my mother meter was beyond pegged, my Jesus meter kicked in as I stood praying, in my mind, for them.
I stepped closer and smiled asking could I speak with them for a moment and would they please not be offended. They said,"Sure!" smiling also.
I said, "I have to say you two girls are very beautiful."
"Awwww thank you" they almost simultaneously said.
I continued,"but those words that are coming out of your mouth are taking away from that beauty God gave you. God loves you. Do you know how I know?" They shook their heads sheepishly."because He loves me and I'm a mess. If he can love me then He can love you. I just wanted you to know." They thanked me and apologized etc. After a few more casts, we left the fishing spot, saying our goodbyes and good lucks.
I'm not telling that example to glorify myself because there is only one thing good in me and that is the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory. You see, I was free to do that. Bondage would have been NOT saying anything and just complaining about their behavior.
Also, years ago someone once said those very words to me and God brought it to my remembrance.
Freedom in Christ is the only real freedom any man or woman can act in and no man or woman can take it away, no matter how many laws are written.
There are dozens of scriptures in the bible, speaking on freedom. I will leave that discovery for you to enjoy.
My friends, you are free, more than you realize. Operate in it, abide in Him, and help us free the world from the bondages they are really bound to, seen and unseen.
