True Freedom

Today in church I had a moment to reflect on the idea that freedom isn't free.  Everything costs, including our freedom here in America.  I am one who takes for granted, on a regular basis, the idea that I am free to worship my God in a public place without fear of harm against myself, my spouse, my children, my family.  Looking at my own little girls, I realize they are so blessed...they live in a country where they are given the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, upon birth.  It is hard to think that right now, people in other countries, at this very moment do not all live in the same freedom I do.  I think more about this freedom I have and while I am grateful for my practical freedoms I enjoy on a daily basis here in America, I realize that true freedom comes from Christ and a life in Christ alone.  My heavenly father tells me that

    ‘ You are My servant,
      I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
       ¹⁰ Fear not, for I am with you;
      Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
      I will strengthen you,
      Yes, I will help you,
      I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ 

That is true freedom to me...living without fear, because I know my God holds me in his hand.  Even though I hear those words in church and they comfort me....as an anxious mother of two,  I tend to worry.  Sometimes in the late hours of the night, anxiety creeps in and the what-if's take hold...what if my kids get sick, what if we can't pay all the bills, what if the sky falls...I begin to suffer from "The Chicken Little" syndrome.  You know, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling."

Joanna, at one year of age, has decided to become a mountain goat.  She climbs everything, the fireplace mantel, the coach, the kitchen chairs, the stairs, whatever "mountain" she can find, she must scale it without fear.  While she enjoys the climb, the adventure of it all, she does, sometimes, find herself stuck, at which point she does what most one year olds do, she yells mama or dada and expects one of us to come running.  The moments of fear she has encountered prompt her to yell out for help, assistance, and her one year old expectation is that one of her parents will come...because that is what we do.  She calls, we come running.  Even though, she has had moments of setback, times she has fallen, times she has been stuck crying for help, she does not stop scaling mountains.  She continues to move forward, full speed ahead, trusting her parents will help her, trusting that the adventure is worth the risk...I can learn a lesson from my little one.  I too need to climb mountains in search of God's plan...I too need to call out to my heavenly father when I am stuck or hurt...I too need to expect him to come running because he loves me that much.  He is there, I just need to seek him in faith each day, each moment.  Trusting in the Lord everyday, looking outward to others instead of letting my fears drag me inward to my worries. Living free...living in the Lord's grace.