This year my church’s key word is “release”. As I think about this word I am reminded of a story of say a lion who has been kept in a cage in a zoo. The lion is getting quite old so the zoo keepers decide to release him into the paddock where he can live in freedom. The day finally arrives for the lion’s release – the lion is excited because he wants to get out of the cage and live free. However, a strange thing happens. The zoo keeper opens the door of the lions cage and the lion wouldn’t move. You are probably thinking my story is weird but hang on that’s what most of us do daily in our lives. We are free but we live in bondage.
Jesus said in the Bible in the book of John that “He who the Son (Jesus) sets free is free indeed”. Jesus set us all free (the whole world) but most of us choose not to live free and more amazingly, not accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. Which of us if we really understood what Jesus did for us would want to live in bondage to sin (wrong thoughts and wrong and hurtful actions) for the rest of our lives if we could live free?
Once we become a child of God, we need to start our journey towards acting and living like we are set free. Some of those things that continue to bind us up include unforgiveness, jealousy (trying to be others when God wants us being Who He created us to be), what we speak, sickness, mind issues etc – all those things that are not good or healthy for us to carry. But how do we get rid of them? The only three ways I know are reading the Bible and applying it to your life, praying and asking God to help you and seeking wise and godly counsel.
A journey is just that – a journey. Don’t get overwhelmed by all those areas where you are still bound. Tackle them one at a time and after awhile, you will be living free.
So this week, pray and ask God to show you which area He wants you to work on and just do it. Have a blessed week living the life God intended for you to live.
Living the life God intended 