Oh, If She Only Knew
Savoring these sunny spring days, I was outside reading a few days ago. Hazel Grace was with me, but she had to be on a chain since she is the infamous “Freedom Runner” in the neighborhood. If she gets loose, she is off quicker than you can yell “Come back, Bad Dog!”I ran inside to check something and when I came back out, she was laying under the table, destroying a stick. I was a bit shocked to notice that her chain had come undone and was actually not attached anymore. My first thought was, “Oh, if she only knew”. Had she realized she wasn’t chained, she would have been long gone.Our Jewish friends are in the middle of celebrating Passover. While this holiday commemorates many facets of God’s faithfulness, perhaps the most significant is the gift of freedom.Not only did God physically set the Israelites free, but more importantly, He has set us free spiritually. Personally, I struggle with the reality of freedom and what it really means to “live free”.When seeking others’ approval and attempting to live according to others’ expectations, I simply forget the fact that in Christ, I am free.There is a sense of liberation and unrestraint in living free. When I am aware of my need to do and act and be in order to please Him, there is less anxiousness and exhaustion compared to when I am constantly trying to please others. He loves me unconditionally. People? Not so much.When I am
no longer confined to the chain of fear, I can rest in the assurance that the sovereign God of the universe has everything under control and I don’t have to waste my energy worrying or trying to figure out how certain scenarios will work out.Watching Hazel Grace reminded me that, because of Christ, my chains are undone and I am no longer attached to things that hold me in bondage. And I sense that God is looking at me and thinking, “Oh, if she only knew”. If she only realized she’s no longer chained and can live free.“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.’” — Exodus 6.6Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/126654539@N08/21916479351/">dolbinator1000</a> via <a href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>