Free Indeed

Have you ever been cancelled a debt and then been given more? It isn’t a normal situation is it? Yet here, Deuteronomy 15 is titled ‘The year for cancelling debt’.

In the seventh year you must let them go free. And when you release them, do not send them away empty handed. Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today. Deuteronomy 15:12-16

You must let them go free. A few words right at the end of this double spread caught my attention, teaching how to set servants free. It wasn’t just a command about releasing them in the given time, but about not sending them away empty-handed. In fact, the instruction was to ‘supply them liberally’ and to ‘give to them as the Lord your GOD has blessed you.’ There was nothing that they did to earn this freedom or pay for the generous supplies. It was the supplies that ensured that they could remain free and wouldn’t have to return to being a servant again.

I can’t help but relate this to how I am treated by GOD. I have been shown the reality of this. I have, not only been set free but also I am not left empty-handed. I have been given freedom once and for all.

‘Everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’

Last week I talked a bit about not being a slave but a child of GOD Rain From Heaven. Not only have we been freed at this time (and for eternity) but we are not left empty-handed. We have been supplied liberally (more than enough) and blessed by our Father as sons and daughters to live continually free.

What incredible news! We have freedom with Christ with the generosity of our Father. I could very happily stop there … but these words are double edged.

The good news is for me and you, if you follow Jesus, but freedom linked with lavish generosity is also something that we have power to give to others too. The command is to not keep this to ourselves; it is to give to those who need freedom.

Who do we offer this extravagant freedom to? I guess the first thought goes to sharing the good news with people who have never met GOD. They need to be told and be shown the love of the Creator.

There is a harder choice to make. What about those who you know, if you gave them freedom, it would be an extravagant and undeserved thing? The people who have hurt you, wronged you and have been unjust. You have the power to let them go free. Unforgiveness is very nasty cage to be trapped in, it blocks your ability to live whole and in freedom. I will state that forgiving a person doesn’t mean that you welcome them back into your life, you’ll need to work out the boundaries, but it does break off your hold on their punishment and allows the GOD of the universe to be in control. It is liberating!

You and I have power to set people and things free. Perhaps you might ask GOD what you need to release. I know that when we are done, we will find out what it is like to fly out of darkness and into the promises GOD has for us.

Katy 😉