In today's Words of Life post, I delve into these questions to see what scripture has to say to us. How might these words help us find freedom today from the things that entrap us? And how might we walk responsibly in that freedom?
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."
- Isaiah 61:1-3
"In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I will look on triumph on my enemies."
- Psalm 118:5-7
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."
- Psalm 119:32
"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord set prisoners fee, the Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked."
- Psalm 146:7-9
"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
- John 8:32
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
- John 8:36
"But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
- Romans 6:17-18
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
- Galatians 3:28
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
- Galatians 5:1
"Live as free men but do not use your freedom as a coverup for evil; live as servants of God."
- 1 Peter 2:16
"For I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts."
- Psalm 119:45
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
- 2 Corinthians 3:17
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
- Galatians 5:13-15
"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed by what he does."
- James 1:25
Mary Piper, a renowned psychologist, once wrote that freedom is often pictured as being on a sailboat and drifting whichever way the wind blows. That kind of freedom, she explains though, is an illusion; it turns your boat in circles. True freedom, in contrast, is like sailing toward the north star, setting your sails and your course with direction and purpose. That description of freedom resonates with me, particularly as I reflect on these passages. Freedom is not drifting aimlessly along or doing whatever we please, but rather being free to pursue our God-given purpose. It is God who sets us free, so that we can be fully alive in Him and move unencumbered toward His plan and purpose for our lives.
As we meditate together this week over these words, I would love to hear your insights. Feel free to comment below or send a private message to me at tenaciousgospel@yahoo.com.
Words of Life is a series of blog posts asking the question what does God's word have to say about a particular word, idea, or theme. We don't need a seminary degree to delve deeply into scripture, just a Bible in hand and an open heart. A concordance helps too. Join me on this journey as we seek out God's heart on different issues and meditate together on what God has to say to us today through His word. My pastor has offered up three questions to ask when reading the Bible that I have found helpful in meditating on these passages and themes. 1. What was God saying in that day? What was the audience and the context? 2. What is God saying to us today in our context? 3. What do I need to obey in this passage? What do I need to start doing, stop doing, or continue doing to apply His word to my life?
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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