Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:18
As familiar as many of us are with the Passover and Exodus, one aspect of that great event is often overlooked: God redeemed His chosen people from bondage to Pharaoh for the purpose that they might become servants (slaves) to Him. Freedom for the sake of absolute freedom from all responsibility was never God’s purpose. The children of Israel, once they came out of Egypt, did not suddenly scatter to the four points of the compass to do whatever they wished. God’s desire was that they might walk in His Will and invest their freedom from bondage in obedience to His Will. Why? So that He might bless them! When they failed to obey Him, He did not revoke their redemption and send them again into bondage! Indeed not! But they did miss out on the temporal blessings of continued obedience.
BOTTOM LINE:
The parallel between the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and the individual believer today is inescapable. We should invest our freedom from slavery to sin, not indulging the whims of the flesh, but in seeking to serve the God who redeemed us, WITH ALL THAT LIES WITHIN US!
Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God David Jeremiah Aug 20
FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:
Today while traveling highways (such as 77 S, 70 E, 79 S to Morgantown WV) to take Loretta to return with Paul to DC to babysit our grandson Robin for the month of Sept, I encountered the stark reality of being grimly reminded of how grossly I did miss out on my earlier years of temporal blessings because of my “discontinued or interrupted” obedience.
Perhaps I didn’t encounter during my travels today, or even recent dreams, the enchanting ladder as Jacob, or the shady vine as Jonah, or the cock’s crowing thrice as Peter, but I did encounter the loving arms of my Father’s embracing restoration and glimpses into the gross depths of my missing the mark and how far down into the canyons of my sin He indeed reached to pull me up & out and present me faultless before a Holy God. What a Savior! And that a road trip today would so uniquely remind me of my derelict “life & times during 1977- 1993?”
In a way, I both pity, and yet envy you, if you have no such vivid recollections of how great a salvation you personally have been given at various times throughout your life to date, whether it be stimulated by a short road trip as I, OR for you, after browsing thru an earlier journal of yours from decades ago while relaxing in your recliner! We’re always to be ready to give an account for the hope that drives us on>>>>>
Again, Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:18 Now, my only desire is to more fully revel as a slave in the joyful trappings of His righteousness… Free at last, Thank God, I’m free at last!
WHAT’S NEXT?
So, I’m increasingly being drawn to Transformational Power as His key! Here is what I think as I attempt to write! What’s the big deal or the point of talking about becoming His “inhabited” slaves of righteousness, if we continually choose to remain as the culturally inhibited while sitting, soaking, & souring on Christ’s sidelines contemplating our “profession of faith” while walking the tightrope avoiding going obnoxiously overboard while engaging or activating our “practices of faith.”
Wake up folks! Our western civilizations cultural demise is a spiritual problem that first begins in our marriages, homes, churches, communities, and then our local, state and national governments. Expecting any meaningful changes to begin anywhere else except those first four is quite preposterous! Although, I must admit the recent change of events in El Salvador does fuel ones spiritual optimism!
If our local churches today are as Menno Simon’s repeatedly identified in his writings, even remotely dependent on our rituals, and not on the realities of “being born again” and the all-sufficiency of Christ as outlined in scripture, no wonder our congregations are sliding toward hospice care. Should not churches be serving as an inspirational spiritual beacon and an effective rallying center for the leadership folks in our communities?
We’re not to be necessarily the quiet hiding out avoiding confrontation or messy politics in the land of the free, but rather, empowering the spiritual entrepreneurs engaging in all aspects of community life, whether in our expressions of worship, education, business, medicine, mental health, governmental entities, etc., with real answers in the marketplace of His creative ideas, beginning first with our invitational “unknown God,” such as Paul did on Mar’s Hill. Only when His love is visibly present, fruitful and forth-coming in our homes and churches, will we move His Kingdom beyond the scourge of hospice care into an ever expanding transformed source of His newly formed disciples fulfilling their Kingdom identities & destinies, much as Jamie Winship instructs.
The rampant “silent” doom and gloom today we’re permitting in our churches and communities is ironically deafening. Actually, it is the elephant in our midst. Are we going to ignore it and cower as the Saul’s army did before Goliath, or, will we as David take stock, prepare, and engage? We are not powerless, we’re simply not empowered. And primarily, because we’re playing games about professing our faith, (still counting the cost) and then, consequently, are not (actually, can not be) serious about practicing our faith, so in no way, will we become Holy Spirit empowered!
If we continue to skirt and dance about the issues in our churches and communities wringing our hands while seeking frantically “man’s new methods, materials & means to patch up our MESSES”, when we simply lack His explicit understandings:
Come unto me and rest, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with Praise.
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14.
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40: 2-3.
Time to stop all this chronicling! It is time to Simplify-Come-Rest-Enter-Praise-Humble Ourselves-Pray-Seek-Pray-Praise-Then Communicate-Pray-Praise-Take stock-Pray-Praise-Prepare-Pray-Praise-Engage-Pray-Praise-Evaluate/Reassess-Pray-Praise >>>>>> repeat continually. Trust His Spirit! Yes!