Call Her Blessed: Seeking Freedom

(Cross-Posted at Moms In The Right)

I've been burdened lately. My to do list is a mile long...and that's just the daily necessity stuff. Never mind the stuff like...oh, print all of last year's pictures and put them in an album. Or organize that pile of phone numbers on my desk so that I can have one nice list to tape to the inside of the cupboard door above the phone. Or make some notecards with all the pictures I printed up. Some days I barely find time to eat - when will I ever get those pictures done? And while I'm thinking of it, why does eating less not translate into a smaller backside for me?

Oh, I know - it has something to do with eating less slowing down my metabolism, therefore resulting in my body burning less calories. It also means that the stuff that my body stores is in the form of fat instead of muscle. That reminds me, exercise is on my to do list too.

Please don't leave me comments about taking good care of myself. I know this, I do. It's just that I love eating cold pizza for breakfast, I love having a Coke for lunch, and I hate exercise. Some days, doing what feels good and gives me some relaxation...that IS taking good care of myself.

How does this relate to anything? What? Huh? You're asking me?

My to do list - it's mind boggling, I tell you. It's my mental list that keeps me up at night and makes crazy meandering posts like this one reality instead of just a bad dream.

Thankfully, I have taken the time to spend a bit more time in the Word this week...and the strangest thing happened.

Before I tell you, I should clarify one thing: God is not a fortune teller. I do not like to randomly open my Bible, expecting God to lead my fingers by his mighty power to a special verse or chapter that will speak to me like a trumpet from the heavens. I just don't think he works that way. Sure, sometimes a particular verse will really speak to my heart and I know, "that's for me today". But to expect God to participate in the "randomly open the Bible" trick day after day? It reduces the power of the Word to a mere parlor trick, and I think it's too real...too powerful...too precious to treat it so casually.

Now that I said that...

When I sat down for breakfast the past two mornings, I grabbed my Bible and randomly opened it to begin reading. Not in the way I described above, but because I didn't feel led to any particular book and I just wanted to spend some time with God. It didn't matter to me where I started, so I just opened.

And do you know what? I opened to the EXACT same page both days! That's strange. And the very same words popped out to me each time. Those words were "Freedom for Slaves". Those words aren't even a part of the Word - they are a heading added by my NIV to prepare the reader for what they're about to read. And sure enough, the text went on to say:

"The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves. Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Jew in bondage." (Jeremiah 34: 8-9)

Those verses spoke to me so beautifully these past couple of days. It tells of a God who wants his people to be free. It tells of a God who wants his people free of bondage...free of burden...free of slavery.

What am I a slave to recently? My to do list? My regrets? My worries? My dreams?

Whether it be worrying about the economy, taking care of kids, juggling home and work life, or simply working to lose a few pounds of flab...our God wants us to be free.

So what does that mean in practical terms? The economy is in a sorry state. The kids need to be taken care of. Managing home and work life takes some juggling. I don't think we can, in good conscience, walk away from those responsibilities in the name of being free.

But working hard does not have to be the same as being burdened...it does not have to be the same as being a slave to my responsibilities. Yes, there is a burden to carry...but He will carry it for me!

This week, as I work through my to do list, I'm going to focus on doing my work while enjoying time with God. I'm going to try to focus on my work...not as something I have to do (as a slave)...but as something I want to do for Him.

How about you? Are you a slave to something/one in your life? How can you find freedom in your situation?

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Ruth A. Stiles

2. Vanessa ~ Quietness Before God