Thank you my friend
~William Paul Young The Shack~
I finally feel as if I am free now. Although I live in one of the worlds greatest and most democratic nations, I've often felt closed in. What I felt was nothing like freedom at all. I felt more like a dutiful subject marching to the drumbeat orchestrated by my leaders. I had been told what to think, who was worthy and how I was to pray. Of course, each week I was expected to enter that inner sanctum of my faith to hear someone else tell me just how it was to be a christian. For the longest time, that freedom which the pastors would teach about had eluded me. But was this really the freedom I needed? I may have had freedom to worship, but true freedom? That still was a ways off for me. It wasn't until I deepened my relationship with two men that I began to see just where my true freedom was to be found. The first was pastor Dennis, who for so many years has shepherded others in mens ministry. To say that Dennis has a heart for men to see the truth of Christ Jesus would be akin to saying that Babe Ruth had a heart for hitting home runs. For his calling has been not only to experience relationship with Christ for himself, but to encourage others to experience it as well. It has been through his guidance that the door to relationship with Jesus has been opened to me. Of course, it hasn't been easy for him to convince one so set in his ways as I have been. I may have been a dutiful christian soldier, but when it came to really knowing Jesus I knew squat. How can you be a follower of someone who you don't really know?
20“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25“O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.
John 17: 20 -25 NKJV
That second man who I give thanks for my freedom is the man Jesus. The man Jesus who it took me so very long to come to know. The man Jesus who not only bled and died for the forgiveness of my sins, but that we would be one as He and the Father are one. It's interesting that in my bible that scripture of Christs prayer in the garden that night is titled "Jesus prays for all believers." As He knelt in the garden that night facing the punishment which was to come, His thoughts were of me and my relationship with Him. His desire was that I, as He was,would be one with our heavenly Father. That...is freedom. To enjoy a intimate relationship with Christ not bound by regulations and traditions but by love. For it is Jesus who loved me first {1 John 4:19}. Instead of marching to the drumbeat as a dutiful christian soldier, I can now walk as Christ Jesus who I live as today {Galations 2:20}. I can let others decide for themselves just what freedom they may have in their christian walk. For me, I would rather walk AS Jesus than have someone tell me how good my life can be by following His example.
~Scott~
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