Glorious Freedom

Photo courtesy of artist Kathy Barlow and
photographer James Magnus

When I first saw this photo, the thought "Symbols of Freedom" popped into my mind. Indeed, they are. 

That thought reminded me of a deeper understanding I'd received several weeks ago while reading the 8th chapter of the Gospel of John. When I came to verse 32, I noticed that the translators of that particular version had capitalized the word Truth, something I'd not seen in other versions. 

So, I read the verse again (and the one preceding it), in which Jesus said, "If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free" (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition). 

Indeed, the more we know the truth (what is right), which He taught, the more we know Him (who is the personification of all truth). After all, He clearly said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me" (John 14:6, AMPC). 

He is the One, the only One, who can set us free from the tyranny and guilt of our sins and give us a new and abundant life--now and throughout all eternity.

Follow!

Photo taken Nov. 2017 at Bellingrath Gardens in Alabama.

One recent morning, I woke up with the song, Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow, playing in my mind, like a musical CD set on repeat. As I listened to those words, I thought about the practical aspects of what "rise up and follow" meant for me:

• Get up out of my warm, comfortable bed (even though I felt reluctant to do so) and begin the tasks I didn’t particularly want to do or feel competent to do.

• Learn more about Jesus and try to follow His example and keep His commandments. I do the “learning” part reasonably well. For example, I listen to Max MacLean read from the New International Version Bible (via the YouVersion app on my phone). I read and study God’s Word. I read books and commentaries written by other Christians. I discuss insights with other Christians, etc. But I find the “following His example and keeping His commandments” far more difficult to do, despite the subject/skill.

• Become a mentee, eager to learn from my Mentor, my Teacher, Who says in Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV:

Come to Me, 

all you who labor 

and are heavy laden, 

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you 

and learn from Me,

 for I am gentle 

and lowly in heart, 

and you will find rest 

for your souls.

For My yoke is easy 

and My burden is light.

That invitation is so wonderful that I can hardly believe it’s meant for me--and for you, too! But He does invite us, imperfect and inept though we are, to follow Him: to go wherever He goes, to listen and learn from all He does and says, to converse with Him as easily as with a dear friend, to consult with Him about matters both great and small….

In order to follow Him, you and I may have to eliminate some current activities and/or greatly reduce time spent on them. Although that will be difficult to do, it will be exhilarating to stay in close contact with Him at all times and to simply be and do whatever He says.

To listen to two different arrangements of that song, click here and here.