17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Freedom! In the movie What About Bob, there is a scene near the end of the movie where Bob (Bill Murray) is tied to a fallen tree and strapped with black power and a timer. His psychiatrist, Dr. Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) has tied him there to kill him, because Bob has driven him over the edge. But Bob analyzes his own problem and is cured, and also is able to untie himself from the explosive wrappings. The funny part is that while Bob is truly free, Dr. Marvin has become even more bound up in insanity. This honest appraisal of the condition of self that Bob went through brought him freedom. That is what repentance is about. We must agree with God about who we are, our sinfulness and helplessness, and His righteousness and power to help us. When we recognize these things and put our belief into action, we are changed. In an instant we go from being one bound by sin and its consequences to being one who is free to choose to love. But if we choose to believe our own perception of the world, our own value of self and others, then we become less and less free. It is our choice. Today, we as individuals have the choice to believe what God has said about us, life, purpose, meaning, eternity, relationships, honor, values, right, wrong, good, and evil. If we do accept God’s view, then freedom results. If we try to construct our own view, we are bound and stripped of our freedom. Choose today to see things God’s way. It will be painfully humbling, but exhilaratingly freeing. When we are in relationship with God and listening to the voice of the Spirit, then we are free. We get His perspective on life and that is liberating. What is keeping you tied up today? Get God’s perspective on it and you will be free.
The Arnold Journey 