Independence Day

On this 4th of July, one of my all time favorite verses is brought to mind. It is Galatians 5:1 and it says:

It is for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore stand firm, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

I think about all of the ways that God has ministered to me through this verse. Being a recovering coward, there are so many times I have clung to this verse to pull me out of my terror pit.

So what do I long to be free from these days? Oh, that's an easy one for me. I still long to be free from fear. (I'm a little slow.) And where do my biggest fears lie right now? In relationships with other people. I have an innate desire to be loved, accepted and a part of a "team". We all do.

God has been teaching me a little something about this whole concept lately. I believe it is His design that we depend on one other as we strive to emulate Him. He talks explicitly about Christ's church being the The Body, and how each part is in desperate need of all the others. Instead of feeling needy, off balance, weird or unlovely, God is showing me that it is okay to love, and to desire love back. In fact, loving God and other people is His greatest commandment.

Putting my heart out there, and loving other people is scary. What if I am misunderstood? What if I am rejected? What if all of the things I fear about myself are true? Well, here's a revelation. SO WHAT? God's Word promises me that He will never leave me nor forsake me. There is nothing in all of creation that can separate me from His love, right? Sounds to me like a pretty good safety net.

God made me the way He made me for a reason, and the same is true for you. Freedom, I am finding, comes through the surrender of self and the wreck less abandonment to the commitment of others. On this Independence Day, I am choosing interdependence. Here's why:

Independence: freedom from dependence on or control by another person, organization or state

Interdependence: unable to exist or survive without each other, relying on mutual assistance, support, cooperation, or interaction among team members

Sacrificing for the sake of the team. Now that sounds to me like a disciple of Jesus Christ.