As I sat outside in the sunshine before worship service today contemplating the words I plan to share at the Rescue Mission tomorrow while my dad is in the hospital and a major project for work looms before me, I knew that God prompted me to speak on these words as much for me as for those who will hear. That realization led to a small voice prompting me to share here because maybe He meant the words for you too.
Be blessed,
Cynthia
Be blessed,
Cynthia
My daughter and I recently participated in a dance recital for the Great Joy School of Worship Dance. I was so inspired by helping and watching my daughter last year that I decided to sign up for my FIRST EVER IN MY LIFE dance class. The very first class, I overheard our teacher mention to someone else that our recital song would be "More of You." That song was my "theme song for 2015" that I had prayed over many times. I knew in that moment that God wanted me take the class and make it to the recital. But, around the fourth class, I started to doubt to that I could do it. Others who had come to "try it" had left the class and I was now in a class with beautiful young women who have been dancing for a decade or more. I left in tears. I felt insecure. I felt vulnerable. I felt afraid to let them down. Jesus kept whispering, not in my strength but in His, so I continued. As the weeks and months passed, I still felt afraid. I still worried I wouldn't be good enough to be in the recital, but I kept going and I kept praying "more of You and less of me." When the opening number was announced, I knew I couldn't learn another dance in a short period of time. God prompted me to ask if I could sign it in ASL while the others danced. This meant that I not only needed to familiarize myself with the song, but to study it's meaning so that I could appropriately interpret it. The song, and the theme of the entire recital, was "Born To Be Free" by Moriah Peters.
Born To Be Free
Galatians 5:13 says that we are "called to be free." God intends for us to live in the freedom that He has provided through Jesus. In verse one of the chapter, we are reminded that "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Without Jesus there is no freedom.
Galatians 5:13 says that we are "called to be free." God intends for us to live in the freedom that He has provided through Jesus. In verse one of the chapter, we are reminded that "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Without Jesus there is no freedom.
No Jesus = No Freedom
What is This Freedom?
Those of us who believe in Jesus know He came to save us from our sin and to one day live in heaven. So, we are free from the death that we deserve because of our sin and this freedom allows us to have eternal life. But, this song and, more importantly, these verses in Galatians seem to be saying that we can experience this freedom before going to heaven. The entire verse of Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened against the yoke of slavery." 1 Peter 2:16 says "live as free people." We get to be free by going to heaven, but we also get to live in that freedom here on earth.
Freedom Takes Work
In the midst of my insecurity, fear, and vulnerability, I did not feel free. I felt enslaved. Enslaved by an out of shape body and limited experience with dancing that led to thoughts of "I can't do this." I could have easily let myself give in to these thoughts or I could have let someone "cut in on [me] to keep me from obeying the truth?" (Gal 5:7b) But, I chose to live free, to be brave, to work again and again (and again and again) to overcome the negative thoughts by focusing on that whisper...not in my strength, but in God's.
The Role of The Spirit
What I learned most in this process of not giving up and relying on God's strength was that I can live in this freedom all the time and so can you. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." What it took for me to keep going, to not give up, was to sense God's presence. Whenever I recognized God's hand in the process, I felt more free from my insecurity. Knowing God is there helped me. I knew He cared about my struggle with insecurity. I knew He wanted me to keep going. I knew that He was working in others lives by having me persevere. I knew He would be faithful if I trusted and kept going. And, we did it. God and I. We made it through the recital. He was there. His presence filled that auditorium that day. He used many other dancers of all ages to bless my heart which allowed me to dance freely in His presence without any insecurity, without any fear. When we know God is there, when we can feel His presence, that is when we can truly live the life of freedom that He has called us to live.
Those of us who believe in Jesus know He came to save us from our sin and to one day live in heaven. So, we are free from the death that we deserve because of our sin and this freedom allows us to have eternal life. But, this song and, more importantly, these verses in Galatians seem to be saying that we can experience this freedom before going to heaven. The entire verse of Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened against the yoke of slavery." 1 Peter 2:16 says "live as free people." We get to be free by going to heaven, but we also get to live in that freedom here on earth.
Freedom Takes Work
In the midst of my insecurity, fear, and vulnerability, I did not feel free. I felt enslaved. Enslaved by an out of shape body and limited experience with dancing that led to thoughts of "I can't do this." I could have easily let myself give in to these thoughts or I could have let someone "cut in on [me] to keep me from obeying the truth?" (Gal 5:7b) But, I chose to live free, to be brave, to work again and again (and again and again) to overcome the negative thoughts by focusing on that whisper...not in my strength, but in God's.
The Role of The Spirit
What I learned most in this process of not giving up and relying on God's strength was that I can live in this freedom all the time and so can you. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." What it took for me to keep going, to not give up, was to sense God's presence. Whenever I recognized God's hand in the process, I felt more free from my insecurity. Knowing God is there helped me. I knew He cared about my struggle with insecurity. I knew He wanted me to keep going. I knew that He was working in others lives by having me persevere. I knew He would be faithful if I trusted and kept going. And, we did it. God and I. We made it through the recital. He was there. His presence filled that auditorium that day. He used many other dancers of all ages to bless my heart which allowed me to dance freely in His presence without any insecurity, without any fear. When we know God is there, when we can feel His presence, that is when we can truly live the life of freedom that He has called us to live.