GodReflection: Power Word Wednesday
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17
An abundance of prisoners walk streets of so-called free countries. They seek freedom but it eludes them. They don’t live behind bars erected to keep them from society. Rather, they live as prisoners of guilt, and despair.
Our 21st Century usage of the word freedom hides Jesus’ meaning. After two thousand years, we have tarnished the usage of most of the words in Jesus’ vocabulary. So have we tainted the word freedom.
Jesus defines freedom as peace. Nations associate freedom with guns.
Jesus lived within one of the world’s most repressive regimes. To cross the Romans could mean a cross. Yet, he said nothing to encourage governmental change.
His people were sure God answered their prayers for freedom when their “warrior king,” started to perform miracles. Only to see Jesus disappoint them when they discovered he proclaimed freedom comes through peace not war.
What might happen if freedom through Jesus received the same amount of press as the attention freedom through war receives?
Here is what I think.
Freedom is my reality regardless of the state of the world. The dove of peace sets me free rather than the eagle of conquest.
In the breathtaking 119th Psalm, the composer shared the reality; I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
It’s a neat thought to live with a God encased sphere of freedom. I find my protective shield about me since I signed on with Jesus.
Doctor Luke introduces Jesus mission as he sets the scene of Jesus’ Temple reading.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free . . .”
Here is the great paradox. I am free because I choose to be a slave to King Jesus.
That makes me a servant of the king. In turn, King Jesus set me free to serve my fellow Travelers.
Freedom is a powerful word to guide my walk.
His freedom allows me to live each day with great optimism. I don’t worry that the actions of my day might fall under the judgment gavel. The thought never occurs to me. I am free. I walk through life protected by Jesus’ bloodstained grace canopy.
To walk in complete freedom is hard for this lifetime church attendee, but I am learning how to walk free from church tradition into the freedom of Jesus. Jesus’ freedom helps me 
see a bigger God. At the same time, I am learning the freedom of how to live at peace with my church traditions while continuing to love my church tribe.
Freedom in Jesus allows me to take a deep breath, exhale, feel my pulse slow down, and keep worry on the outside of Jesus’ protective sphere that encloses my walk.
Freedom is a power word that adds octane to my step.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on Freedom as a Power Word.
God Reflection 
It really is a troubled world and I hope I can take comfort in the thought that I am, and always will be FREE, despite what is going on around me. On my way to work most mornings I try to turn my mind to Phillipians 4:8 and practice that! This blog is one of those things!! Thank you, Gary, for uplifting and edifiying me.
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Kay,
We all live in the same world. Let’s dismiss the doom and gloom folks and remember WHO we trust.
Gary
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