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Observation

What a statement, what an invitation – “You should live in complete freedom.” God is for freedom, He is a freedom fighter. And whilst freedom is free to do as you please, it comes with a responsibility. The responsibility of free people is how they express their freedom. Do they use it as an excuse for evil? I am free to do whatever I want, even when I use it for evil, it does not remove my freedom. But it is my expression of poor stewardship of my freedom, or unwise freedom.

Here is how you use your freedom wisely – “Recognize the value of every person.” So often I can use freedom to abuse others, but this is unwise freedom. If I use my freedom with the eyes that see God in every person and treat every person accordingly, then I will use my freedom wisely. I am free not to, that is what freedom is, but why use my freedom for evil, when I can use my freedom to bless and encourage the world I live in?

Use your freedom wisely by – “continually show love to every believer.” How often do I use my freedom unwisely, by tearing down and tearing apart other believers? I do it under the guise of ‘defending the gospel,’ or some other masquerading righteousness, but what I am doing is dressing up my unwise freedom in religious clothes. Let’s get undressed, it’s just unwise freedom usage. I use my freedom for evil. Call it as it is. I was set free for wise freedom living, that is “continually show love.” Let’s not use our freedom for evil and then cover, or dress it up. If you want to use your freedom unwisely, then own it, don’t cover it up. You’re still free, it’s just unwise freedom.

Here is how you use your freedom wisely – “Live your lives with great reverence and in holy awe of God.” Freedom gives me the unbelievable gift of personal intimacy with God. Use your freedom wisely by living intimately in Her presence. Reverence and awe only flow from the personal intimate experience of God. I can’t share my experience and have you enter into reverence and awe. It’s the indescribable, undeniable, blown away, personal experience of the beauty of God that enables me to wisely live freely in awe and reverence. There ain’t no other way. So you can be free but not enter into the fullness of the intention of freedom, that is intimacy, and therefore not be able to live wisely free, for you have not had the encounters that freedom intended for you, and so no awe and reverence. In the absence of awe and reverence, unwise freedom living will happen. When my heart has not been captured by God I will use my freedom to give it to others, even evil, this is unwise freedom.

Application

Live free, and never become a slave again. Use my freedom wisely, and be responsible for freedom. Live intimately with God and experience his beauty in a way that leads you into awe and reverence, so that I may see others as he does and treat others as he does. This is wise freedom. And whenever I don’t do that, live freely with him, that my freedom of intimacy may lead me into awe and wonder and back into wise freedom living.

Response

Thank you for freedom, thank you for setting me free. Not conditional freedom, but responsible freedom. Thank you that my freedom is never at stake, but my responsibility is never replaced or manipulated. Your love respects me in a way that humbles me. Thank you for the freedom of your love and presence, for this freedom of presence enables my wise freedom life. I love the free life you invite me to live.

Meditation

Meditate – live in complete freedom.

Consider:
Are you living in complete freedom?
How do you see and treat others with your freedom?

JOURNEY DEEPER