"Free"

 Why can’t they find the freedom,

That others talk about,

They know what’s true, and what to do,

But can’t find their way out,

Of all the bad addictions,

That keep them chained and bound,

Why can’t their now begin somehow,

With healing that they’ve found.

It’s always someone else set free,

And they can’t see a change,

Glad to know, but rarely show,

How deeply desperate and deranged.

They feel at times so hopeless,

Like the exception to the rule,

Just tryin’ to cope without much hope,

And feel just like a fool.

But then the day comes suddenly,

When they have no more time,

One last chance to dance the dance,

And find new life sublime,

And some get up and do it,

With them so light and free,

God decreeing their well-being,

They are remade, you see.

And from then on they follow,

And find God’s grace to fight,

To armor up and fill their cup,

And walk strong in the light.

And what they used to want to do,

They’re delivered from desire,

They find that they, from day to day,

Learn to fan the Spirit’s fire.

What was once a wishful prayer,

They hoped it would come true,

Just look and see- reality,

It’s now just what they do.

Never doubt the miracle,

The Lord will gladly give,

The truth in love from up above,

He’ll show us how to live.

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there if freedom…” (2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT)

We correctly name God the Father as Lord of creation. We gladly confess Jesus is Lord of our lives. But how often do we recognize the lordship of the Holy Spirit? And when the Spirit is in control, He. brings extraordinary freedom. This is especially true when people struggle with long-held addictions. When nothing else has worked, the Holy Spirit miraculously brings deliverance and the discipline to walk in sobriety. Never write anyone off as a hopeless case. Maybe they have been, but they are one miracle away from a breakthrough. As we used to say of my daughter, caught in the throes of a seventeen year addiction: It’s going to be a great testimony someday. And that is exactly what her life became.

Lord, help us receive the freedom Your Spirit wants to give us, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Andy Mast, used by permission. Thanks, Andy, and God bless you.