True Freedom

(Originally published 7/5/14)

On Independence Day, the 4th of July, Americans pause in life to celebrate the memory of the day when our nation declared itself "free." Our political freedom, and the great many individual freedoms that stem from that in the years since, is an amazing blessing. Thousands upon thousands of brave men and women have given their very lives for this cause, and it's something about which to have hands lifted in adulation to our God. 

But what about you? Is there another kind of freedom you might be missing? I know I've noticed it quite often in myself.

Yesterday's daily email Scripture passage from our local Christian radio station's website was about spiritual freedom. 

"I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments." - Psalm 119:45 (NLT)

Have you ever noticed the times in life when you feel the most trapped are probably the times when you're not really living God's way? Maybe you haven't. But in my life, it's definitely been true that when I stop in the middle of a real spiritual losing streak, and I just don't feel like I'm free in my life, it's because there's things within me that are holding me back. The besetting sins that I give into, the attitudes about things like my job, my family life, or my social life, they can all keep me enslaved the longer I allow their inertia.

What's ironic is that we tend to live outside God's rules for our lives when we're consistently believing Satan's biggest lie: God does not want what's best for you. 

Remember this one? That's right, it was the first lie ever told. God's enemy, in serpent form, approached the female half of the first couple in the Garden of Eden and got her to believe that maybe God was playing his cards too close to the vest. What happened? She fell for the lie with a bite of the fruit of the forbidden tree, and Adam foolishly followed his wife's cue, and all mankind has been permanently fallen since. 

Satan has been continually fooling mankind for all of history, into the lie that God's way isn't always in your best interests. So when a Christian goes about their day with those famous Ten Commandments, and the teachings of Jesus from the New Testament, in the background of their mind, there are two options when presented with moral choices: 

1) Believe that what God has told me to do is for my good, for my blessing, and personal preservation for eternal life, and act accordingly, or...

2) Believe that God is just a curmudgeon who's all about keeping me from having a spectacular life, and act accordingly.

The truth is, God's commands are meant to bring us blessing, and set us free. When we choose our own way, it leads to enslavement. The more we follow the path of our heart's choosing - in whatever ways are contrary to God's ways - the more we get ourselves into trouble and let those things take us over, making us slaves of those sins, those attitudes, and those habits. 

Do you want to experience a life of complete freedom, and the truest freedom? 

Then God is inviting you to take the recommendation of the writer of Psalm 119, by devoting yourself to God's commandments. When we strive to keep the rules of the Lord and not break them, we'll be in greater harmony with our Heavenly Father through pure worship (1st through 3rd commandments), and have healthier relationships with our fellow earthly citizens (4th through 10th). 

This isn't about earning God's favor, mind you... Christ has already done that on our behalf through his work of redemption on the cross. Really, what this is about is living in a way that shows God we are who we say we are. If we're grateful that we've been made part of God's family through faith, then we need to sport the family traits and let our Father in heaven see our thankfulness through our actions. This life of adherence to God's commandments becomes our living sacrifice as a thank offering of joy. 

The result: a better life. A freer life. 

Because of Jesus, we've been set free from sin and an eternal death sentence. We're free to follow where God leads us, and then watch the fruit of that obedience blossom!

God, give me strength to be devoted to you and your ways! I crave freedom!