Pursuing Freedom

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia. Galatians 1:1,2 (New King James Version)

The Apostle Paul did not view his life and calling through what others thought of him or said about him. He did not attempt to align his thinking with theirs. As he began his letter to the Galatian believers, he set forth his credentials based solely on Who purposed his life. His identity, his security, his calling, his personhood were all based on Jesus Christ and God the Father. No other opinion was needed. Not his and certainly not the opinions of others. He stated this not only for his own sake but for the recipients of his letter as well. He knew the importance of knowing who he was in Christ and he knew that was something his readers needed to know as well. We are now the readers of his words and the knowledge of who we are in Christ and what He has called us to be is essential as well.

The book of Galatians is about freedom in Christ. Freedom from the law and all other forms of bondage. While I may not be one who attempts to earn salvation through the keeping of the law, I know what it is to live with attempts to live the Christian life in my own strengths and weaknesses. I may not be a slave to religious hierarchies, but I know what it is to live enslaved to my own thoughts and perceptions.

This morning, as I once again faced my tendencies to be controlled by a spirit of suspicion and distrust toward others, I asked God to help me see why this is still an area of bondage to me and how I can find true freedom from it. It was no mistake that He lead me to the book of Galatians. It is a book about freedom, deliverance, and liberty in Christ. What Paul wrote to the Galatians is meant for me as well and any who would venture through this book with me. I have often said that addiction is addiction therefore freedom is freedom. Hence, bondage is bondage and liberty is liberty. What will lead a person away from living out of the law will also lead a person away from living in captivity to their own way of thinking.

This is a shift for me. Usually the devotionals are written as a way of sharing the daily things God is teaching me and what He is walking me through. This week I have found it difficult to have anything to say along those lines. It was like the well had gone dry. I didn’t understand why until this morning. The lack of writing has been God’s way of showing me it is time for a change. It is time to walk through a book of the Bible and be open to what He shows me in its chapters. I want to find the keys that will eventually unlock the chains of my mind, enabling me to live, stand, and walk in the liberty Christ offers.

Father, I stand before You as one who desires freedom….especially when it comes to my way of thinking and viewing the people in my life. I thank You that freedom has been Your desire for me all along. You have a road map for me to follow and Your Spirit is my guide. Teach me. Change me. Renew me. Amen.

In Christ Alone - Brian Littrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypxv0QPEuLw&feature=PlayList&p=E11FE260DF29EBA5&index=0

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16