Freedom

Galatians 4: 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

How familiar, these verses, yet how forgotten in daily life. This daily grind of law, failure, guilt, more law, more failure, more guilt, is draining me. It was a little easier to deal with when the cycle went like this, law, success, self-righteousness, change the law to suit me a little better, success, self-righteousness. Self righteousness feels good for a time, but it ultimately kills everything genuinely good! And if you're unmotivated and lazy like me, you can't sustain it for very long anyway.

Confession: I cannot make myself love the Word of God by making a rule that says I have to read it at a certain time every morning. Don't misunderstand, good habits are good and helpful, and meditating on God's Word is a GREAT habit. But what happens when life circumstances make it difficult for a few days? If I was feeling really good about my habit, how will I feel when I break it? Typically, really bad! Herein lies the problem. The days that I slack in my habit-keeping, my God remains the same. My Jesus is still my substitute, I am still an heir through God! And this should be my source of joy, not my ability to keep my habit.

Confession: I cannot keep my marriage happy by making a rule that I will be available to my husband at all times. Again, don't misunderstand, I should be available to my husband, and he to me, at any given time. And my husband and I have a marriage that is as close to perfection as I could dream of in this dreadfully fallen world. But what happens when circumstances and sin make it difficult for me to want to be available? What if I was feeling really good about how good I am to my husband, and then for a few days I'm not so good? Again, I start feeling really bad, and life is terrible, and I am miserable. But on the days that our marriage falls below the "yellow line" into less than perfect status, our God remains the same. Our Jesus is still our substitute, and we are still heirs through God! And this should be our source of joy, not our ability to maintain a perfect marriage.

So, does all of this freedom that Christ has given me make me want to neglect my time in God's Word and keep myself from my husband? "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" (Rom 6:15) In fact, looking to Christ this morning, instead of my own righteousness (or lack thereof) has made me long for Him and His Word, and interestingly enough, has made me long for my husband (too bad he's not home.) :)

Lord, shine brightly, burn in my heart so that I never want to turn away. The darkness permeates so quickly, I can't afford to turn from your light for a second. But, O God, the peace in knowing that when I do turn away, you don't. And it is YOUR strength that keeps me, your hand that upholds me! "Thank you" sounds so weak. I have nothing to offer you that you have not given to me. Help me pour out my life as a living sacrifice, and cling to you with all that I am!