June 4, 2008
Freedom
There is a story of famed escape artist Harry Houdini, who challenged he could not be held captive by any lock. Scotland yard took him up on his challenge. They led Houdini into a cell and closed the door and left. Hours later Houdini had given up and admitted defeat. The guard came in and swung open the door, the door had never been locked and Houdini could have walked out at anytime. Instead he used all his might and power trying to free himself from a cell that wasn’t even locked.
As
I looked at this picture something struck me. It was a great old lock and looked
strong enough, but did you notice where it is located? The bolt that it should
close around and secure is next to it. The lock holds nothing in place. It
struck me as a great visual metaphor for many Christians and reminded me of the
story of Harry Houdini.
Luke
4:14-21 NIV
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him
spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and
everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on
the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up
to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he
found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to
release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he
rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of
everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them,
"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Jesus
came to bring freedom. Far too often Christians continue to walk in bondage. The
lock has been removed from our prison cells yet we stay within the walls of the
prison.
Sometimes
there are obstacles in the path that God will walk us through before bringing us
to total freedom. Sometimes, there are areas that we may struggle with for the
rest of our lives. Yet too often the door to freedom in Christ has been opened
and we refuse to walk through it.
I
have worked with ex-convicts that have served long sentences. Many have spent
more time in prison that outside of it. They long for freedom outside the walls
of prison but it frightens them and they are not sure how to live "in the
world". As much as they hate prison, they quickly re-offend to go back
there because the discomfort of being in prison is easier to deal with than the
responsibility of freedom. ( this is called being “Institutionalized”)
Sometimes
believers act in just the same way. We long for freedom and deliverance and hate
our present circumstances, yet when freedom comes we quickly revert to old
patterns because they seem more familiar than the freedom in Christ.
We
walk in the bondage of un-forgiveness despite having been forgiven. We walk in
the bondage of self-loathing despite having encountered His love first hand. We
walk in doubt despite His assurances. We walk in the bondage of lies despite
having been given the truth.
When
we accept Christ as Savior our sins are forgiven and we are given eternal life.
We are also set free and put on the path of freedom, but we must choose to
exercise that freedom and walk in it. He will not force us to come out of the
prisons we have built for ourselves.
Jesus
has opened the door to our prison and given us the tools to be free. Our task is
to use those tools and walk out the door of the cell.
May
you walk in the freedom He died to give you. Take a look at the door seemingly
holding you captive, a great price has already been paid for you. Use what has
been given and do not entangle yourself again with a yoke of bondage!
Darrel
Mason