Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
This verse is interesting because when you read it, it almost feels like, to our human sensibilities, that dedicating yourself to commandments would almost feel restrictive. Right? It could feel like we’re just following the rules. For many of us, especially those of us who are free spirits, we hear rules or commandments, and we think of being closed in—or boxed in—in a way that doesn't allow us to express ourselves.
I love this verse for so many reasons. The biggest reason is that there is freedom in restriction. I know that doesn't naturally make sense, because so much of what we want to do is run and do things according to our own ways of thinking. We want to follow our own impulses. We just want to do whatever our heart tells us to do.
The Need for God's Direction
One of the things that I've learned on my journey in the way with Jesus is that my natural sensibilities, who I am by default, to be honest, just the sin nature that is in me—I don't need to be trusting those instincts on my own. There is a need for me to follow the Redeemer, the Restorer, the Healer, the Deliverer, the way of Jesus.
The beautiful gift for those of us who have said yes to the Kingdom work here on earth and following the way of Jesus is that the Spirit of God provides insight, wisdom, and direction. The study of the Scripture is that we dedicate ourselves to fill our minds and our hearts with the intentions God has for the humanity that He created. He's displayed for us clearly the way things should go in order for us to be in rhythm with Him. The Bible tells us what is true about His character, and it also instructs us in the way forward. What this does is keep us from having to depend on ourselves, because we will let ourselves down over and over again.
Freedom in God's Commands
What happens for us is we find freedom in the commands. When God is clear about what it means to follow Him, to know Him, to abide by His ways, His principles, we can live, pray, play, and walk in freedom.
God, we are so thankful for Your commands. I think about times in my life when I understood the plan, and it allowed for me to be able to do the thing that I know I'm equipped to do according to the plan. What is really hard is trying to come up with the plan in the moment. Think about cooking—when you're trying to make a meal and come up with ways to make it taste better on the fly. It's so much easier when you just have a plan. Give me a recipe that I can follow, and then I can, in freedom, flow in my love of cooking.
What's really cool about us having these commands is that it eliminates the mystery around what we should dedicate our lives to. Sometimes it's interesting when we're praying, hopefully looking for God to speak into certain things, and it seems almost like He's silent. Well, He's revealed to us His commands, His principles, and His ways. The scriptures represent for us instruction and guidance that provide freedom for us in how we live.
Today, walk in freedom. Walk in the beautiful restriction of His commandments.