The Relentless YAWP of the Transformed

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a slave of Christ…. (It is) for freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (ed. note: to the law).~ Galatians 1:10, 5:1

There is, beloved, an astounding truth in the Gospel.

We are free.

Not just freer.

Not just becoming free.

Free.   Jaw-droppingly… gob-smackingly… gorgeously free.

We are so free, that we have found the path even to the one final freedom: the freedom even from ourselves.  We are no longer constrained by the discomfort that comes from not getting our own way, or from having people love us – or even like what we do.

We have found the final purpose of this freedom from ourselves as well… We have found that it is in this place that we can finally pick up our cross and follow hard after Him.  We can do it because there is nothing in our hands to distract our grip on His purpose for our lives.  We simply want nothing more than Him.

At first we thought that the prospect of being so free from ourselves and united with Him would cause a dissolution of our identity.  But instead, we find that the only thing that has dissolved is our confusion about who we really are in Him.  We find that, in fact, a human running as Designed (read utterly dependent on Him) is veritable weapon of righteousness, made of very true, noble, just, pure and very, very, very lovely stuff.

We gain a freedom too from one of the final tyrants of our lives.  This shadow being the false shadow of what others think and say about us; and the need to maintain some sort of face in the face of social and relational turmoil.

Said simply:  We can now Love people like He Loves people – but we really don’t give a rip what they think about us.  And it is only in this place of abandonment of our lust for approval that we can pour out our lives for others – even for our enemies – simply because we desire their best.

Yeah, that is how free He has made us.  This is very good news dear reader.

Anyone feel a little like YAWP-ing along with this writer today!?!?! – Makala Doulos is a lover of Jesus and a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Numbers 9-11; Revelation 18

Quote of the day: We need to recognize God’s truth, no matter who’s mouth it comes out of. Elizabeth Elliot

Bible Memory: “May my heart be blameless in your statues, that I may not be put to shame.” Psalm 119:80 ESV