For our Soul Care July theme we will be examining Freedom. What is freedom truly? Is it the ability to do whatever you want? Is it freedom from other people's control? There are various ways to define and examine the concept of freedom. How does freedom relate to our relationship with God?
2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us:
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."While many Biblical scholars have written about this verse and the freedom of being able to read and understand the new "laws" as defined by Jesus's life. Sort of like..."I once was blind but now I see." I want to take a much simpler approach in my musing.
The Lord is the Spirit and he has given us the spirit also. The ability to see, to understand and to live life, to think, to feel, to access our spiritual connection to God in powerful ways. To me it is the ability to have a deep spiritual relationship with God, without any constraints. How powerful is that?
In Biblical times the world was ruled by laws, and rituals and man made rules. There was really little individual freedom as things were dictated by the law. This made life complicated and simple at the same time. You didn't really have to think or to ponder or to muse about anything. It was defined for you. Punishment was harsh for those that did not conform. Jesus gave each person a new "right" and that was the right to think for themselves, to reach for a higher "being" than that which was dictated by culture. It was not necessarily a "dictate" to break rules but rather to examine rules.
"Test all things, hold fast what is good." Thessalonians 5:21
That's the freedom to think. To reach greater spiritual heights. To not be ruled by the laws of man but rather to work toward a better understanding of the laws of God. That doesn't mean all the laws of man are bad, it simply means that you are not confined spiritually by them.
I hope you will ponder with me the idea of freedom this month. Search out some verses that resonate with you and reflect on them during July. Search your heart for the meaning of freedom.
Hugs to each of you during your quest for freedom, whether it is freedom from doubt or some other aspect of freedom, may you find it this month.
