A Convergence of Life and Faith...

I have always viewed freedom as “bliss” or some kind of feeling of elation.  The picture in my mind is that of the many movies I’ve seen where the adrenaline-filled protagonist screams out “Freedom!!!” as they march on to victory.  It’s usually a victory from some kind of tyranny so freedom is more obvious and more naturally feels great and liberating.

I realize, however, that most of what we are trying to find liberation from in our “real” lives is actually tempting and appealing to us.  If I were to present a picture of this (from a movie. and yes, I probably watch too many movies…), I would choose the Matrix.  There, freedom is messy, simple, uncomfortable, but real.  It’s being unplugged from the materialism and consumerism that seems to dominate our lives.  It’s a struggle because when we’re “plugged in” to the system, we feel comfortable and when we’re “unplugged” and liberated, we feel uncomfortable. Ok, I know it sounds incredibly simple when I write it, and the reality is that it is a simple concept.  Living out our freedom, however, is not about complexity as much as it is about courage.  There’s one scene in particular where Cypher (one who has been free for years) admittedly knows that the steak before him isn’t real, but wants it anyway.  He doesn’t want to embrace his freedom and humanity any longer because the temptation of comfort and pleasure in the matrix is so overwhelming.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds more like my struggle for freedom today.

I believe that Christ sets us free (John 8:31-32).  What I also believe is that we are learning and struggling to live into that freedom.  I think that freedom today feels like tension because as we are being liberated in Christ and to Christ, we are simultaneously dying to what has held us captive.  We are dying to the consumerism, materialism, lust, greed, etc. that has dominated our lives.  We’re dying to a system that places ourselves (our desires, our comforts, and our pleasures) at the center and are learning what it means to live FOR CHRIST, WITH CHRIST, and IN CHRIST.  Our struggle is not to attain freedom, but rather to live it…