Walking In Freedom-part 2
I’ve been reading through Exodus and have noticed that many times when Moses and the Israelites are in desperate need of something they cry out to God and his response is usually asking them to do something. There’s some act of obedience that He wants them to follow to get what they’ve asked for. At first, I thought this was saying we have to earn what we get, but upon further meditation on these scriptures, I see that it is our partnership with the Lord that allows these requests to be answered.
The examples from Exodus,
The Red Sea (Ex. 14:16) - Moses had to raise his staff over the water so that the sea would part and they could walk through on dry ground.
The bitter water at Marah (Ex. 15:25)- Moses had to throw a piece of wood into the water in order for it to be drinkable.
Israelites defeat the Amalekites (Ex. 17:11)- Moses had to keep his arms raised for them to win the battle.
These are just a few of the examples I have read about Moses walking out in obedience to receive his answered prayer.
I think this also applies to our freedom in our life. I think too often we cry out to God for freedom in an area of our lives and yet see no change because we aren’t willing to do the hard work to see the change.
A non spiritual example that comes to mind is my physical fitness. If I ask God to make me fit and then sit back and wait, I’m probably not going to see any results. God has given me the ability and the means to get fit, but I have to do the hard work to see the results.
I know that’s a silly example, but I believe it’s the same with our freedom. God has given us all we need to walk out our freedom in our lives but we have to obey to see the results.
Please don’t hear me wrong, there’s nothing we can do to earn anything from God or our salvation. Jesus paid that price for us on the cross when He died in our place. But we do have a part to play when it comes to our requests to God. It’s a partnership with God as we abide in Him.
A lot of times this act of obedience is hard. It can feel like God is asking you to do something that is so excruciatingly painful, like confessing sin, or revisiting a painful memory, or forgiving someone who has hurt you. Although these things are very hard, God never asks us to do something to simply make us suffer. He knows that what He is asking us to do is for our benefit; that it will make us better in the end. He sees what is to come and when we walk in obedience he is sure to guide us to the abundant life He promised us.
So what is God asking you to do? I promise you won’t regret obeying him. Even if it’s hard.
As I write this, there are some hard things I have to do in my life to see the change I want. I’m right here beside you, championing you on. Let’s do it together? Let’s be brave together? Let’s do the hard things together? I want to jump in and trust that God is going to catch me and I’ll end up in a place that is beyond my imagination. I want to live the full life that God has called me to live!
