Free Indeed

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

John 8:36

This verse came to mind as I sat in my car the other day. I was in the parking lot at Citrus Plaza waiting on my son when I took notice of the American flags flying in the breeze throughout the area. There was one particular flag that caught my attention. Unlike the other flags, whose stars and stripes flowed easily in the wind, the corner of this flag had become caught on something and sadly it just hung there, motionless. I realized in that moment how much I have in common with that sad, motionless flag.

Flags are designed to display that for which they stand for. Flags are made to be anchored to something, but this anchoring is in no way a hindrance to the flag. The anchor is the flag’s solid support. While safely anchored, the flag is free to open itself wide and do what it was made to do; fly freely in the wind showing those around it its beauty. So when a flag is not doing what it was made to do, like the one I noticed that was caught, it’s not displaying its full potential.

I, too, am designed to display that for which I stand for;Jesus. Just like a flag needs to be anchored, I need to be anchored not to something but to Someone who is my solid support. With the Lord as my anchor, I am free to open myself wide and do what I was made to do; live my life in the full freedom of Christ. However, like I said, I’m afraid I’m more like the flag that was stuck than the ones that were free.  How so? 

Whenever I let fear, worry or doubt creep in then a part of me gets stuck. Whenever I hold back forgiveness or not extend my hand in love, a part of me gets stuck. Whenever I let sin go un-confessed, a part of me gets stuck. Whenever I put anything above or before God, I get stuck.

There are so many things in this life that can cause us all to become stuck. I don’t want to be stuck like that flag. I want to be free. Therefore, I will continue to trust my Anchor and with His help, open myself up big and wide and live free in Him.

Dina Pugh