Happy FREE Day

“May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.” ~ Peter Marshall

In the early days of my marriage, I was excited about freedom. Freedom to decide what I cooked that day, or if I cooked at all. Freedom to put the furniture where I wanted it to go. Freedom to buy the food brands I thought were best. Freedom to decide which day I did the laundry and even what time to wake up on my days off work. I must admit that though my Friday mornings were for sleeping in, I would feel guilty about it. I could still hear my mother’s voice in my head, as clear as if she were in my home, rebuking me for sleeping in when there was work to be done around the house. Otherwise, I enjoyed the perks of my newfound freedom but what I hadn’t anticipated was all the responsibility it came with. I had the freedom to decide what I was going to cook for dinner, but the fact remained, that I was the one who had to do the cooking, laundry, cleaning, shopping and whatever. Yes, Ceaser did help with a lot of it, but the buck stopped with us. We had to channel everything we had learned from our parents and though we were now free from their supervision, we had a responsibility to do what we knew was right. It was a true test and as we navigated our ups and downs we finally fell into a smooth rhythm, taking what we loved from both our childhood homes, and creating a new set of rights and wrongs. New culture. New traditions. New freedom.

“At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.” ~ Galatians 5:1 (TPT)

“Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an excuse to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Constantly love each other and be committed to serve one another. ~ Galatians 5:13 (TPT)

“For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.” ~ John 8:32 (TPT)

Though I don’t personally know anyone alive at the time Zambia gained its independence, I would like to believe that after all the blood, sweat and tears shed there was a great weight to the freedom they had fought for. Domino effect decisions awaited those in leadership positions because of this freedom. A freedom that was once ours was unceremoniously taken away by strangers and today we get to enjoy and celebrate newfound freedom because few were willing to fight so that many could enjoy what legitimately belonged to us. Sounds quite reminiscent. Adam and Eve enjoyed freedom in the Garden of Eden. This freedom gave them rights and responsibilities which they did not fully appreciate leading them to sell out their freedom to Satan. He came out of nowhere, unceremoniously taking what was rightfully ours and making us his slaves. Jesus came to right that wrong. He, one man, died so that we, the many, could reclaim and enjoy what was ours in the first place. He came to give us freedom.

Freedom is a privilege. Whether we fought for it, were born into it or paid a price for it, it is a precious gift that is easy to lose if not recognised for its weight. As we celebrate Zambia’s fifty-eighth year of independence from colonial rule, I would like us to reflect on freedom;

FREE to forge ahead

I would like to believe that when Zambia first gained independence the leaders were excited about what the nation could be, the potential it held and the possibilities that lay ahead. The same is true for us in our walk with the Lord. When we first come to Christ, there is excitement about the possibilities of our new life, the shackles of sin have fallen and we are finally free. Once all the dust settles and reality sets in, we realise, just like I’m sure our forefathers realised, that there is a great deal more work and sacrifice required of us. Freedom isn’t the end of our story, it is the beginning. Freedom isn’t a ticket that buys us a new future, perfectly wrapped in a bow, awaiting our unveiling. No, freedom is a chance to fight and keep fighting for the future we want for ourselves and those we love. Freedom allows us to take stock of what truly matters to us and decide how we want to esteem it moving forward. Freedom allows us to forge ahead, concentrating our efforts on forming new traditions, new cultures and new relationships. As we walk out our faith, we will continually experience freedom in different areas we choose to submit to the Holy Spirit. As we do, let us see this newfound freedom as an opportunity to forge ahead. Yes, forging ahead will require effort and commitment on our part, but I believe that our freedom is worth it.

FREE to rise

One can be free on paper yet not experience the fruits of freedom in their life. The Bible can pronounce us free from sin, death and the grave but for as long as we don’t rise to take our place as liberated ones, we will watch the life Christ died to ensure we live, pass us by. In what areas do you need to rise up today? Are you tired, ashamed or discontent? Packaged within the freedom you have been given is the grace rise. Even when you feel like all hope is lost, rise. Even when you feel like you’ve tried so many times and you can’t see yourself trying again, rise. You are not alone. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you and because of that truth, you too can rise. During the fight for independence, many lost their lives. Afterwards, I am sure those who remained were burdened with grief for those lives lost, they had to choose to rise from that grief and do the next right thing for the sake of the nation. The time for mourning what has been lost has passed, let us rise to do the next right thing.

FREE to explore

To explore is to travel through an unfamiliar area to learn about it. Something I am realising more and more is that I do not know myself. As much time as I spend with myself, the real me, the one whom God formed in the secret place, is unfolding to me the more I spend time in God’s presence. Freedom through Christ gives us proximity to God and the ability to explore who we really are. Furthermore, when we are our authentic selves, free with God, He gently guides us in the exploration of areas in ourselves we are not only unfamiliar with but are terrified to face. There is power in freedom. It is for freedom that He has set us free. The freedom to explore who God made us now rests on us. Let’s get excited and curious enough to explore.

FREE to extend

Only with true freedom can growth take place. One thing stripped from us when we are in bondage is the freedom to grow or move. Our activities are dictated to us, where we can and cannot go, what we can and cannot say, and even what we should or should not think. Everything is restricted. I’ve heard it say that anything that is not growing, is dying. When we are bound to sin, we can’t grow and we are indeed dying physically, spiritually and mentally. Freedom through Christ breaks those chains giving us the room we need to grow, move and extend. Yes, extending means we increase our territory by making sure all areas of our lives are fruitful and it also means that from that fruitful place, we can extend our arms to others. In Galatians 5, we see the relationship between freedom and service. When we are bound it is very difficult to think of anyone other than ourselves. Freedom allows us to lift our heads to see the needs of others.

Happy Independence Day. I pray that you are challenged to live a truly FREE life. Reflect on what you have freedom from, what you have the freedom to do and what you have the freedom to become. Use your freedom to consistently forge ahead, when you fall, don’t stay down, rather, rise to the next challenge, remember to stay excited and curious about who God designed you to be and as you grow more fruitful because of the free love you have received from God, extend that love to others.

Freedom is a privilege. Whether we fought for it, were born into it or paid a price for it, it is a precious gift that is easy to lose if not recognised for its weight. As we celebrate Zambia’s fifty-eighth year of independence from colonial rule, I would like us to reflect on just how free we are.

We are FREE to Forge ahead

We are FREE to Rise

We are FREE to Explore

We are FREE to Extend

Happy Independence Day. I pray that you are challenged to live a truly FREE life. Reflect on what you have freedom from, what you have the freedom to do and what you have the freedom to become. Use your freedom to consistently forge ahead, when you fall, don’t stay down, rather, rise to the next challenge, remember to stay excited and curious about who God designed you to be and as you grow more fruitful because of the free love you have received from God, extend that love to others.