I have authority issues. I'm being really honest with you now. The truth is I just don't like someone else telling me what to do. Even if it is something I want to do anyway. I have authority issues.
I remember this time in freshman English class, Mr. Gibson was teaching grammar. I think the assignment was to rewrite twenty sentences changing the verb from present to past tense. I distinctly remember I was supposed to rewrite the entire sentence, which is completely ridiculous. Seriously, what a bunch of busy work! I just needed to show that I knew how to convert the verb into past tense, so that is what I did. I just wrote the verbs. Then, I wrote on the bottom of my paper, "I don't feel like writing sentences." Like I said, I have authority issues.
Well, you can imagine Mr. Gibson's response. The paper was returned to me with a fat, red, capital F on top. I'll have you know that I did redo the assignment and wrote out every one of those sentences, but I didn't like it one bit.
When I became a Christian, I was a bit concerned about getting too involved in a church because it seemed to me that people in church liked to tell you what to do. Did I mention I have authority issues? It has taken me a long time to recognize that my real bondage, the real restriction in my life came from sin. Here I thought I was just doing I wanted, when in reality I was a slave to sin.
Here's an interesting little verse out of Galatians 5. 1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Jesus did not sacrifice himself so that he can tell us what to do. As Creator, he already had the authority to do that. No, Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we would have the ability to follow him. The choice to follow, however, remains ours. I like that about God because I have authority issues and I don't like being told what to do. What I do like is that God is not forcing me to do anything. Instead, he loves me enough to send his Son to die for me so I can choose each day to love him right back and to follow him. That is just so cool. The freedom in Christ is just so... freeing!
I was reminded of all this yesterday as I was painting my basement. A song by Ginny Owens came piping out of my iPod and I'd like to share the words with you.
The song is called Free.
Turnin' molehills into mountains
Makin' big deals out of small ones
Bearing gifts as if they're burdens
This is how it's been
Afraid of coming out of my shell
Too many things I can't do too well
Afraid I'll try real hard
And I'll fail
This is how it's been
Till the day You pounded on my heart's door
And You shouted joyfully
You're not a slave anymore!
CHORUS:
You're free to dance
Forget about your two left feet
And you're free to sing
Even joyful noise is music to Me
You're free to love
'Cause I've given you My love
And it's made you free
I have set you free!
My mind finds it hard to believe
That You became humanity and
Changed the course of history
Because You loved us so
And my heart cannot understand
How You accept me as I am
But You say You've always had a plan
And that's all I need to know
So when I am consumed
With what the world will say
Then You're singing to me, as You remove
my chains
Free from worry
Free from envy and denial
Free to live, free to give, free to smile
Watch the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1-2RcZqnIo
