Slavery to Self

My personal time with the Lord this morning was dominated by one theme, slavery. I hate to admit it, but this summer has been a rough time for my personal times with God. I fell into a pattern of coasting by on second-hand intimacy and memories of past encounters. This morning the Lord emphatically chastized me for this and brought to my attention over and over again how this relates to slavery.

I spent some time in Galatians 4 where I was reminded that I am a child of the King and an heir to the Kingdom, but I was also reminded of how childish I was acting and that even royal children have less freedom than slaves. I am a victim of self-induced slavery. In spite of knowing my own limitations and knowing my Father's unlimited grace, I have chosen chains over His loving arms. I have chosen a cage over freedom.

I read a quote this morning from Miles J. Stanford that said, "Sad to say, the only believers who are interested in freedom are those who have come to the place of hating instead of hugging their chains." He goes on to say, "When the believer begins to really see the cross for what it is - a place of death - he is inclined to hesitate about choosing such fellowship." I know this summer has been a time where I have chosen to hug my chains and live independently of the Lord's freedom. I have not chosen to die to myself, to choose the fellowship of the cross, but He has not given up on me.

Stanford continues, "The old 'I' has no contribution he can make to the Christian life and service; he can never be harnessed to the purposes of God. Death is his decreed portion... We will be ready to take up our cross when self becomes intolerable to us, when we begin to 'hate our life' as spoken of in Luke 14:26. This deep burden of self and hunger to be like Him cause the function of the cross - crucifixion - to become attractive. The long devastating years of abject bondage make freedom in the Lord Jesus priceless - the cost becomes as nothing to us!"

In spite of the chastizing, I am encouraged this morning and feel ready to release my grip on my chains and embrace freedom again. I feel ready to walk in maturity as a child of the King and to embrace the cross as the place for my self. May we walk together toward the cross, and through the cross, toward freedom.

Blessings,

Shiloh