For me to even dare to stand before you, I have to remember who I am. I am a child of God, of Jesus, the Christ, the one true King. In Him I can do all the things He asks me to do. My focus today is on the phrase, “I have been set free.” First let me describe myself from a former time.
I have a mental picture of a dog who’s always afraid it’s going to be reprimanded or scolded. You can see the picture. The dog flattens itself to the floor and maybe even puts its paws over its head. That was me. Not always, in every situation, but too often, it was part of who I was. This was debilitating because it controlled my actions and reactions. It limited me in relationships and work. I knew in my spirit that I was meant to accomplish more and embrace life. Over time God has worked in my life to set me free. God has shown me that this was not who I really was. It was not who He, my Father, wanted me to be. He’s talked to me a lot about living with abandon. Face forward, arms open, with an attitude of “Okay, world, here I am. You can’t intimidate me.”
Recently in a book study we did an exercise where we took note cards off a table but did not turn them over right away. On the other side of the cards were pictures which spoke of what God wants to say to us.
Here’s the one I picked……..
What do you think? FREE! Well, I’m not quite there yet, but I’m a long way from the cowering, fearful dog.
The question is, how did I get from there to here? We know it’s the work of God, through the Holy Spirit in my life, but that’s too simplistic for our analyzing minds. The answer for me is another question. Where do I run, to whom do I go? Some days are sad, some sunny, some depressing, some filled with questioning, but no matter the day I know whom to seek. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) I keep running to the Lord, my King, and to our Father, the only true God.
I’ve read this book since I was a child (Bible). Over time the words have become more than just words. They are the bread of life to me. Jesus said that He had food the disciples didn’t know about. It is like the word has become part of my DNA. I believe the Word, and trust that it’s true and it will be done in me. To ask our Father for His kingdom and His will to be done in me is in my spirit and ready on my lips at any moment.
I wish I could give you the certainty and intensity and hope with which I believe. I can’t, but it’s yours in Christ, as it’s mine. The Lord once said to me, “I give lavishly and without limit but my people receive miserly.” Think about that. He has unlimited resources for us and we take a little peace, a little hope, a little love, but not anywhere near as much as He’s giving. Why?
Help us, oh Lord, to fling wide the doors of our minds, wills, and emotions to accept all You have to give us. Let’s put our faces to the winds of life and say, Yes. What have we got to lose? Romans 8:39 says, “—-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are children of the one true King.