Freedom Friday

Freedom is a word that encompasses so much. Even more so does this word bring so much to the Believer's life. A spiritual thirst for freedom starts to become satisfied when we hand our lives over to Jesus Christ. Many are spiritually thirsty, but not all choose to taste of the freedom offered through Jesus. As we mature in the faith, so should our freedom from the bondage of sin. I will use a picture to help describe what we should all strive for...
I awaken to find myself in a large body bag. I am having difficulty to breathe and the bag doesn't quite fit my body very well. I am cramped and scared. Eventually, the zipper on the bag is found and I open it with great delight as I can now breathe more fully. I am delighted to be out of the bag, but I find myself in a car trunk. Thus, I can't stretch my legs out and the air feels so stale. Eventually, the lock on the trunk is released and I can get out to stretch my legs and have a full range of motion. Finally, a little light poors in from a single florescent bulb on the ceiling. Even though I can move freely and begin to see better, I am locked in a small garage with hardly enough room for the care containing it. It is wonderful to breathe better, move around, and see, but it doesn't seem quite right yet. Eventually, the garage door opens and I find myself in a medium sized junk yard. The sun is shining so brightly and the air feels so good. Unfortunately, there is a large concrete wall around the whole junk yard with barb wires around the top. I can't see out at all, but I have the sun and the wind, even if the air is a little foul from the processing of the metal. Eventually, the doors to the junk yard open and I realize I am on a small island in the middle of a lake. The island is about 2 square miles, but it is wonderful to see the water and the land across the water and have the freedom to move about. Still, after several years, I yearn to get off the island. Finally, I discover a boat and I hop aboard and head towards the mainland. Once I get to the mainland I am so excited to finally have room to move, after walking around quite a bit, I realize that I was actually on an even larger island in the middle of the ocean...
If you concentrate on the different pictures, then you can begin to imagine the wonderfulness of the new freedom. Of course, this freedom is only made possible as we continue to become more intimate with our Heavenly Father. As we continually become more transformed we will continue to experience new levels of freedom. Some Christians are content to be alive and in the body bag, others experience the trunk, some enjoy the garage, some like the junkyard, some enjoy the island in the lake, and others enjoy the island in the ocean. God accepts us wherever we are at, but he so very desperately desires for us to walk in freedom.
Have you experienced a new level of freedom lately or have you become content? Hunger and thirst after the Lord and enjoy the expanse of freedom.