Move

This post was born on the back of a jet ski, grew up on the beaches of Daytona, and was made complete one morning in Tega Cay.

(but let's be honest. this post was born a long time ago and probably won't ever die).

Freedom.

That word, that intangible reality. My soul yearns for it, my heart desires it, my mind grapples with it. Freedom and I - we've climbed mountains together and scaled walls and climbed city heights. He's sometimes run so far ahead I couldn't catch him, couldn't taste him or see him.. and then sometimes we've been the same.

freedom. what are you? what are you made of? what is your consistency?

can you and I live the same, beat the same heartbeat?

can our relationship be permanent, can you and I always stay together? forever? no more of this back and forth, afraid I've lost you?

What I've come to believe - and still believe - is that freedom is not earthly. It's not bungee jumping or sky diving or feeling the thrill of adrenaline. It's not home run hitting or windows down, radio up or living with abandon.

It is exceedingly, abundantly, more powerfully good, wonderful, holy, divine, sacrificially pure and beautiful.

and it's for us. it's ours.

It affects the earthly and makes us reflective of our King.

Matthews 17:20 talks about moving mountains. A father, whose son is possessed by demons, asks Jesus for healing. Jesus' disciples could not do it. After Jesus has rebuked the demon and it has left the boy and the disciples ask Jesus why they could not do it, Jesus says because your faith was little.

Truly, TRULY, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and IT WILL MOVE, and nothing will be impossible for you.

Inhale God's Word as we believe and exhale them as we speak. The power of the spoken word in the name of the Spirit is that it can move mountains! We can renounce, speak out against, with the holy name of Jesus and things, mountains, are moved.

Do I know how free I would be?

Then all the indecisiveness and all the fear and all the change and all the uncertainty - they would mean nothing. Their power would be gone. I am a visual person and my mind paints pictures and I see it. I can see not having to worry and I can see how that would feel. There is victory and we are mighty warriors if we only believed God. The same power that conquered the grave lives in us!

we were never meant for defeat.

that's freedom.

and then, my how this earthly life would change! Challenges would be opportunities. Fear would be reduced to nothing. Worry.. I mean what would that be? God would be glorified through movable mountains. You could see things and do things and experience the day to day in a most abundantly beautiful light. Live life abundantly, to the fullest.

Eyes fixed on the eternal. Believe God to be huge.

Surrender. Live by grace. Live with JOY.

and be free.

Freedom is more than earthly. oh so much more. It is living without condemnation, fear, judgment, or worry. It is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. And then life could be seen through the lens of gift. All of it, a gift. The seasons of good, of bad, of trial, of error - all good, all for the wholly purpose of sanctification, to be made more in His image. We are free to live forgiven, to move, to laugh, to sing, to jump, dance, write, create, worship, be in community, love. All gifts He's given because of His great love.

speak the name of Jesus and move the mountains!

for real. isn't that great news? doesn't that feel free?