The fourth of July is here once more, and all around us are flags, fireworks, and patriotic colors reminding us of the freedom we have in The United States. Freedom is a word that has so many applications and connotations, one could use it as a spring board into almost any topic. Right now, though, the only freedom I'm thinking about is the freedom to type with both hands again. Currently, as most of you know, I'm basically one-handed for a little while, and typing with just my left hand is a tad annoying. Like, someone blowing a vuvuzela 6 inches from your head while you're trying to sleep annoying. I'm accustomed to a 70-80 wpm typing speed, so this 9 an hour is driving me batty. On the bright side, I may finish this by the next 4th.
In the book I'm reading — The Barbarian Way — which I mentioned last week, the author pointed out a question I think a lot of us would be wise to ask God. The question, at first, seems like a easy answer, but if you've spent any time in God's Word, you'll know the true answer isn't necessarily the one you want to hear.
"Abba, Father, would you purposely put me in danger?"
Our fist instinct would be the same most parents would have, "Of course not!" No parent would willingly put their child in danger, right? But we know God and we know the calling He's given us. We know what happened to His Son who took up that calling, to His chosen 12 whom He'd charged with leading the first wave in the New Covenant, and to countless others throughout time who have chosen God over this world. We know the real answer to that question, so why do we struggle when suddenly we're face-to-face with that danger, when life is not-so-peachy? Why do we accuse God of leaving us or not loving us when we know He's treating us the same as He did His own Son?
Perhaps we should look at it from His perspective. He knows the struggles and dangers here are only temporary, and that on the other side He will remove all the pain. He knows that no matter what happens to us, nothing can hurt us in the grand scheme of things. Like a knowing father who will be there to catch his child while they learn to ride their first bike, He doesn't let the fear of a few cuts or bruises (which are only potential, not a given) keep Him from teaching His child a valuable and liberating life lesson. The cause God enlisted us to fight for is bigger than any one person, and sometimes sacrifices have to be made to for the greater purpose.
Take some time to ask God that question this week. Come to grips with the reality of His answer. It will only trouble you if you continue to live your life with a limited perspective, one chained to the here and now and not focused on the final destination. If your life ends when you die, you will forever struggle with your faith whenever it gets rocky. If you want freedom, you have to pay the cost. And freedom has but one price: absolute trust in God.
Brett "I can type with one hand tied behind my back" Hibbler
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