Karen uses the NKJV version - "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
But this is a verse I've always held dear in the NIV version, and that's what I'm using for this post. - Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
I had the opportunity to hear the great Desmond Tutu speak in February of 2003 at the Northup Auditorium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Someone asked the Archbishop if he could describe life in South Africa post-apartheid. I can still hear his voice cracking as he said:
“In many ways, you want to say, how do you tell a blind man that this is a red rose? How do you tell someone who is deaf that I am listening to a Beethoven symphony? How do you tell someone who has never been unfree what it means to be free?”
“In many ways, you want to say, how do you tell a blind man that this is a red rose? How do you tell someone who is deaf that I am listening to a Beethoven symphony? How do you tell someone who has never been unfree what it means to be free?”
Wow.
Tutu's words have echoed in my ears often since that first time I heard them five years ago. Often and in many personal ways, for you see, I've lived in places where freedom is pretty hard to come by. Where the freedom which, as an American Christian I grew up enjoying, expecting, and even taking for granted, is nowhere to be found. Where being free is truly a "foreign" concept.
And, in those places, I've tried to explain to the unfree what freedom is and why they should desire it.
Tutu got it right. It's like explaining a red rose to a blind man, a symphony to someone who is deaf, or the saving grace of Christ to someone who thinks He's "just another prophet".
As a Christian, I know about being free and I know about saving grace because I am a child of a loving God who has called me to be free (Galatians 5:13) and sent down His Son to free me from the slavery of sin (Galatians 5:1).
I know because Christ Himself told me! "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)
Today, I celebrate that freedom. I can explain it because I have seen it, heard it, tastes it and felt it.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17. NIV
Be Sure to visit my non-writing blog, Pleasing Moments!
13 comments:
Wonderful post.
Hard to describe to someone who is unfree what it means to be free. That goes the other way around too. We don't often realize what it does mean to free until we are no longer that way. Thanks
You are SO right! It's so easy, as American's to take our freedom for granted.
I don't think I would have ever forgotten those words either! In fact, I will probably remember them forever too! :)
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your post.
Lynnette
Wow! It is only in traveling and seeing how blessed we really are that I am learning to not ever take for granted the freedoms we have. Great quote to enhance this thought. Bless you!
Yes indeed! And when we have tasted freedom in Christ, the world's promises of freedom lose so much of their power over us!
Thanks for this. I'm going to go check out your other blog now. :)
Freedom in Christ vs. freedom in the world - I'll take freedom in Christ every time! And pray that I share it with others every day. Great post! Thanks so much for your take on this verse.
Excellent post. Thanks for sharing. :)
In His arms,
--Abigail
Thanks Denise ;-)
Karen - you're right, it's the old "you don't know what you have until it's gone" story.
Lynnette - I'm glad the words touched you. I can actually shut my eyes and see Tutu on the stage. I used to have the link to the audio but apparently the U of M moved it. Boo!
Mipa - Agreed - we can't live in a vacuum if we want to love the world!
Thanks, Ladies, for dropping by
AVA
Betsy - thanks for visiting both blogs today! You're right - the world's brand of freedom pales when compared to the freedom we enjoy as followers of Jesus.
Laurie Ann- I'm with you!
Abigail - thanks for dropping by and welcome to Ava Writes! It was great hearing a new (young!) voice today and I look forward to hearing from you more often!
Your's is indeed a powerful take on this verse. In it's proper context the verse DOES refer to our Freedom as true believers who have had the veil removed.
Sadly, many Christians have yet to see that they are truly FREE! We haven't yet experienced it because we don't yet "get it!"
Freedom in CHRIST removes ALL hindrances! ALL of 'em!!!
When you liken it to political and civic bondage - it's a little easier to grasp. . . but God's Freedom is SO MUCH GREATER.
...we haven't got a clue.
I get goosebumps thinking about God's Awesome Power!
Kindest Thoughts,
~esthermay
What an inspiring post! I with you, "celebrate that freedom. I can explain it because I have seen it, heard it, tastes it and felt it."
Great words . . .
Esthermay - thanks for the encouragement on this IOW post. There are a lot of "veils" out there keeping us from seeing and celebrating in the freedom that is ours thru Christ.
Loni - thanks for dropping by.
AVA
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