- There once was a man whose mission in life was to accomplish five things:
1. Make the world a good place for the poor
2. Set prisoners free
3. Make the blind see
4. Release the oppressed
5. Announce that God's Kingdom is now here on earth (Luke 4.18-19)
That man was Jesus. His mission was HUGE. His mission was virtually impossible. His mission was the Biggest Hairiest Most Audacious Goal of all time. And he was pulling it off. Until he got crucified.
His followers were devastated. Their dream was over. Their leader was dead. It was a long depressing Friday; followed by a long, depressing Saturday.
But then came Sunday and he rose from the dead.
Turns out that "Mission Impossible" had became "Mission Accomplished" over the weekend. On the cross Jesus set us free, gave us sight, and paid the price for our release.
Imprisoned by lonliness? Because of Easter, you are set free.
In bondage to bad habits and behaviors? The power is broken. You can be free.
Guilty over past bad choices? You are forgiven and set free.
Involved in sexual and relational ruts that debilitate you? The door is unlocked. You can be free.
Consumed by money and stuff and things that don't satisify? You are empowered to be free.
Spinning your wheels in pursuit of a thrill? Get off the tredmill. You are now free.
Easter is the most glorious of all holidays. It celebrates the power of God to make you new and set you free. The jail door is open. Come out of your cell. Be free!
What are the things in your life that hold you back and keep you in bondage? What things do you need to walk away from?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
On the Third Day He Rose From the Dead
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In our area in can be difficult not to be held by the bondage of pursuing material things. Keeping up with the Jones' can be a never ending task and take you away from what is truly important.
ReplyDeleteMy other big issue is the commitments I make that are for positive reasons and have value, but that take me away from spiritual things. It is very difficult to understand that even though I am "doing good" and "helping others" and demonstrating good Christian principles, I am doing it at the sacrifice of my own personal growth and the growth and upbringing from my family.
Being overcommited and having no time really tie my hands and make it difficult to pursue spiritual things. So while I think it is for lots of good reasons short term, I question the long term value these commitments have in my life.
Emotional eating was a prison for me for a long time. Driven by anxiety and stress, I abused my body (my temple) and used food as a mechanism to cope. Recently, I have handled this issue really well, but like any other addiction, I am afraid you are never really free from it.
Chris Donnely said...
ReplyDeleteMy work schedules hold me in bondage and I don’t think there is much I can do about that. Financially, the income is needed for awhile until we are in a better place with our bills; I have to keep reminding myself that it’s just for now, not forever. I also have to remind myself that I am a human being, not a human doing. The busyness of our lives – work, kids, etc, will be with us a long time, but it’s important to remember to take care of ourselves. When I feel most in bondage, it’s when I am not taking care of myself; spiritually, emotionally, or physically. Daily meditation relieves me of feeling imprisoned in my own life; it reminds me that even though I might have a busy schedule, I am here for one purpose, to serve the Lord.
I need to walk away from my laziness. If I’m lazy on the inside, it shows up on the outside. If I avoid my daily meditation, exercise, and service to others, it leads me down a path that is not healthy. It’s a struggle to fit everything into a day, but if I continue to do the next right thing, I find I’m in a much better place.