Freedom Reigns

In 1952, C S Lewis, wrote Mere Christianity, where he described what free will  is and by implication what he believed freedom is.

Lewis maintained that God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata—of creatures that worked like machines—would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is that happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other…and for that they must be free.

600 years earlier William Wallace, made popular again in recent years by Mel Gibson in the movie Braveheart, made this famous speech about freedom.

I am William Wallace. And I see a whole army of my countrymen,

here in defiance of tyranny! You have come to fight as free men. And

free man you are! What will you do without freedom? Will you fight?”

“Two thousand against ten?” – the veteran shouted. “No! We will

run – and live!

Yes!” Wallace shouted back. “Fight and you may die. Run and you

will live at least awhile. And dying in your bed many years from now,

would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for

one chance, just one chance, to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take

our freedom!

May you this week consider your freedom. May you decide afresh what you will do with this freedom. Embrace the one who set you free, because you are free indeed.

Freedom Reigns

Freedom falls
Like the rain in Spring,
The sun shines through
With life to bring

Freedom reigns
Like a long Summer’s day
With a sunset on fire
To show us the way

Freedom flows
Like the Autumn air
And speaks to us
Of a Greater care

Freedom settles
Like the Winters snow
As it blankets the land
Of the free that we know

So what will you do
With the freedom you live
Will you be brave
With the freedom you  give

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A Break for Freedom

Fear.  For me this word is both difficult to write and look at. It is only recently that I’ve been able to name it.  Fear is not actually what it’s called.  It more the fear of fear.  I know this because occasionally I go there and visit this house. It’s like a house that is overgrown with vines that twist and curl.  A house that has no windows and doors.

Amy Grant described this house in her song Come Into My World off her latest album. She also describes the meaning behind the song (see YouTube clip at the end of this post). 

What I do know now, is that I am only a visitor and I don’t live at this house, or in the neighbourhood anymore.  It may look the same, and the feelings of  fear are just the same.  The difference is that I choose to visit and then I choose to leave.  Why can I leave? It’s because I know someone who is much stronger than my fears, and he protects me and he sends his angels to walk with me. I also have developed a great support network. Why do I keep visiting?  That’s the question I’m working on.

So where do you live?  Are you a visitor or a lodger?  If you can’t relate to any of this consider yourself blessed. If you live here, be brave (you already are), seek the counsel of friends and wise people. They will know what to do and they will be able to help you. 

Remember there is always hope, this is what you must find and hold on to. Here’s a clue about hope. Hope often takes the form of light. Turn your face to it and let your shadows fall behind you.

A Break for Freedom

In the cell block of my mind
My thoughts lie captive still,
They circle inside the prison cell
Like they have lost their will.

The walls close in, it’s hard to breath
My palms they drip with sweat,
Oh how I wish time would fly ahead
But still it hasn’t yet.

I’ve placed my fears in a big box
And sent it to the one who cares,
But I keep worrying then back
And in my heart I feel such fear.

Some days I wish I had no thoughts
Or feelings of such fear,
But that is the way I am made
So I’ll write about them here.

I pray right now, release my thoughts
Direct them far from me
Heal and transform my mind
And let my heart be free.

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