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It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
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Greetings!
Today we are celebrating freedom. And as we remembered spiritual sacrifices on Memorial Day, let us also remember our spiritual freedoms here on this 4th of July.
Satan tries to tell us that we Christians are losing out on many cool freedoms available to us. He argues we should partake in the freedom to drink as much as we want and to have sex with whomever we choose. He shouts that we have the freedom to protect our body at the cost of the child inside of us and that we are free to pursue our own desires and needs at the cost of others. He says we are free to say whatever we want, and if someone is offended, that's their problem. He offers many such 'freedoms'.
And he promises that if we partake in these earthly freedoms, it will do two things for us:
-take away the bad (loneliness, despair, pain, etc.)
-and replace it with good (popularity, satisfaction, physical pleasure, etc.).
The problem is, he fails to mention the two 'catches':
-the good is only partial and temporary
-and the consequences can be terrible (more loneliness, despair and pain than we started with, not to mention jail, fines or even death).
That path doesn't seem to promise very much in the end. So what is our other option? What does Christ promise us in regards to spiritual freedom?
Christ says that we are free to approach the Ancient of Days and be in utter awe. We have the freedom to serve, rule and dance with Him, the King of Kings, forever. We are free to walk with and be led by the sacred wind, the Holy Spirit. We are free to walk through the Pearl Gates of Heaven one day. We are free to be joyful even when we lack things and at peace even when we are in turmoil. And maybe most spectacularly, at least in this life, we are free from sin's entanglements.
So while Satan promises us temporary and partial relief (and refuses to mention the costs), Christ promises us:
-He sometimes take away the bad in our life (loneliness, despair, pain, etc.)
-and the rest of the time give us the wisdom, strength and joy to persevere through the bad. He gives the ability to live above our circumstances.
-He gives us the power to resist sin and temptations (we tend to not believe this, but the Bible clearly teaches it; I think in a future Firewatch we will discuss this more).
-He gives us good and Godly things as well (significance in God's Eyes, contentment in all things, emotional and physical pleasures that are far healthier, more fulling and longer lasting, and more).
-and He will give us eternal life and eternal rewards that will bring us to our knees in awe, appreciation and joy, on that beautiful Day some time in the future.
-in addition to, and even more important than, the benefits that *we* get from Christ, there are benefits to those around us and to God Himself. If we pursue Christ, it will positively bless and impact our neighbors and it will please and honor God. There is a point in our spiritual walks where this last part becomes the most compelling. Admittedly, I am not there yet, but I am drawing closer to that place (and starting to get excited about it).
And Christ does not fail to mention the 'catches'. He openly and clearly explains the cost of leaning on Him:
-we have to forgo the immediate, but partial and consequence-ridden pleasures that Satan offers. (Sadly, we often value immediacy over fullness. If we can choose between an immediate & tangible but partial & unhealthy pleasure versus a long-term & intangible but complete & healthy pleasure, we amazingly choose the former. This will change as we mature in Him.)
-ridicule from those who don't understand (unfortunately, this will often be from our fellow Christians who don't fully embrace the ultimate freedoms Christ provides).
-lack of self-authority. To get His Freedoms, you can no longer be in control. (It's a pride vs. submission issue.)
Even given these costs, it should still be a magnetic draw to Him. In the end, anyone who honestly weighs Satan's freedoms versus Christ's freedoms, looking at the big, long-term picture, easy concludes that we need to pursue Christ's Freedom.
But why don't we? Why is the supremacy of Christ's Freedom over Satan's freedom a steadfast reality, and yet we Christians are not passionately, whole-heartedly, excitedly pursuing it?
I believe there are two possible explanations:
-we simply have not tasted His Freedom yet. While this applies to all non-believers, it sadly applies to many Believers as well. They accept Christ as their Savior and have hope in their future rewards, but fail to see the current rewards that are available to them now.
or
-we have tasted the benefits of His Freedom, but the costs (long-term/intangible instead of immediate/ tangible; ridicule; and lack of self-authority) are too pricey for us. To our flesh, it ain't worth it. (It's crazy to say this, but it tends to be true for most of us.)
So how do we overcome these obstacles?
For the first group, who haven't tasted His Freedom and Abundant Life, simply do so. Ask for it. Believe that He gives it. Take it. Use it. Savor it.
For the second group, who feel His costs outweigh His Rewards, I believe it simply takes letting God have His way more and intentional patience and persistence on our part. Ask Him to shower you with His Love, and then look for it and take it when it comes. Keep pursuing His Freedom, accepting the costs, and slowly but surely, the scales will tip.
There is a great quote that says,
Change won't take place until the pain of staying the same finally outweighs the pain of the change itself.
At some point, the pains of living the world's way will grow worse than the pains of living Christ's way. The rewards Christ provides will grow more fulfilling than the rewards the world provides.
I truly believe that every person can eventually reach this point, each in a different way and at a different time (hopefully this side of Judgment Day).
So for you, where is your tipping point? And are you passionately running to it?
Take some time in prayer right now. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Ask for His Freedom. Ask for the insight to recognize it, the desire to take it and the wisdom on how to use it.
As you do so, and as your world gets rocked by it, please take the time to let me know about it! Those stories are the ones that put the biggest smile on my face.
I love you all!
shannon
703.899.7442 |
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