False Freedom

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-- what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:12 (NRSV)

GROWING up, I had attended church with a frequency that caused a friend of mine to quip, "I always thought your family lived at church." But I stopped going to church while in college because it was an inconvenience. I wanted to sleep in, but mostly I wanted to exercise my newly found freedom from my parents.

Fellowship with God had given me a continuous flow of energy, sustenance, and hope. Why did I turn my back on it? The lifestyle I chose was typical of many young adults, one that encouraged freedom, independence, and self-reliance. I would have been reluctant to admit it, but with each step toward that way of life I distanced myself from God and suppressed the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. At one of my low points I remember remarking to my parents, "God has forgotten me."

When I returned to church eight years ago, it was like coming home. I felt welcomed, not just by the congregation but by God as well. By human reason, I should have been past the point where God offers forgiveness. Yet God reached down in infinite love and grace and rescued me from the ruin I had made on my own. God gave me a new life, one worth waking up to.


Prayer
O God, thank you for showing us the path to true freedom through the life, death, and resurrection of your son. Amen.


From: UpperRoom - Carol P. Nyborg