I Want To Be More Free

During the intro to his song, ‘Make Me More Free’, Dennis Jernigan asks the question, “When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, was Lazarus as free at that moment as he was ever going to be? No. He was wrapped up in grave clothes. But, could he be any more alive than he was in that moment than he was ever going to be? No. Who he was, was who he was.”
I know that I have been as alive as I am ever going to be for over 40 years. The difference, in the last six years, is, as a child of God, I have a choice. Each day, I can choose to be freer than I was the day before, or stay in the same bondage that I was in. How? you are asking. By dying. Today I must die to live. Sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it? Well it is, and for me it is very true.
I have found the more I die to Self; that is, my old behaviors and sinful ways, my thinking and my ideas; and seek to embrace what I believe Jesus would have me do, the freer I become. It is a freedom that I find hard to explain: A freedom that brings peace which surpasses all understanding; A freedom to walk in the confidence God has given me to be the woman He created me to be. I no longer have to walk behind my defensive walls of fear, shame or false pride. My past no longer defines who or what I am. Today Jesus Christ defines who I am.
Each time I am made aware of my attitudes, behaviors and characteristics that are not representative of the Spirit of Christ with in me, I have a choice. I can choose to be bound by my old ways of pride, greed, selfishness, and lust for the things of this world, and live a life that grants joy for a moment and limited freedom, or I can embrace the truth of my sinfulness and die to my old ways by turning from them. When I choose to die to them, leaving my old ways at the foot of the cross,
I am able to walk in the freedom He wants for me. Jesus died that might live and enjoy life to the fullest. I cannot live freely in the abundance: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self –control; He has given, if I ignore His correction. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Truth sets me free.

" Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crusified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, Let us keep in step with the Spirit."
Gal 5:24-25

As I continue to meditate on the words of Dennis’s song and the freedom I have as a child of God, I, like Dennis, continue to pray, “Lord, make me more free, make me more like you, Jesus.”