We sometimes feel trapped, Jesus. You are the one who can "free those doomed to death" with your great power. But we don't always recognize why we feel trapped. We blame our circumstances for keeping us prisoner. The freedom we think we are missing is worldly idea freedom. We can't do what we want when we want how we want. But Jesus, you come to free us from something deeper and even more limiting. You come to free us from the slavery to sin. By your death you break the power of the one who who holds the power death, the devil, "and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death" (cf. Heb 2:14-15). By the power of death and the fear that comes with that the devil makes us afraid to live. You free us from this, LORD. This is the deepest imprisonment. But you crack the gates wide open.
Just as with the Apostles, "during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out" (cf. Act. 5:19).
As with Peter we hear "Quick, get up!" and the chains fall from our wrists. We hear "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," and we follow the angel from prison to freedom (cf. Act. 12:7-8).
We think we aren't free because of jobs or other responsibilities. We think we aren't free because we don't have enough money or friends or beauty. But these freedoms are trivial compared to the freedom from sin and the fear of death that you want to give us, Jesus. This is the freedom that enables us to observe your commandments. The fear of death makes us selfish. It makes us fight for our piece of the pie. We know that the clock is winding down and the limited resources of this age and world are being snatched up. We want ours. But you lead us out from this dark prison to the true freedom of the Sons of God (cf. Rom. 8:21).
But we don't treasure this gift, Jesus. We treat it as secondary and unimportant. We still seek the freedom of the world.
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
And as we do the fear of death creeps back into our hearts. As we do the slavery to sin manifests itself once again. We begin to judge and condemn. We stop giving and we stop forgiving. We begin to wildly and recklessly defend our own selfish interests.
But even so, LORD, you want to set us free again. You delight to restore even those prodigals among us who squander your freedom. You do not want to "deal with us according to our sins". You do not want to remember "against us the iniquities of the past". If we will just let you forget, you will forget. If we just invite you to help "your compassion" will "quickly come to us" because "yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!"
You want to open our hearts to your freedom, Jesus. So come quickly to meet us with your compassion. Open our hearts to your freedom. Free us from the need to judge and condemn. Free us to give and forgive. Free us to love so that we can know your own love more and more.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.
Jesus, please, we need you desperately. We know and remember that you freedom is the true desire of our hearts.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
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