Strong and Free # 3

Strong and Free # 3

But learn to know your weakness, and then learn to know the abundant strength laid up for you in Christ. "My son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus." "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." "If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." 

It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart, who imparts true strength and liberty - and, when you come by faith to Christ, this gift He bestows. Trusting in His grace, leaning on His mighty arm, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, in the very highest sense you shall know what it is to be "strong and free."

You shall be strong! You shall be strong to fight His battles and to endure hardness as a good soldier of His Cross. You shall be strong to run the heavenly race and to win a bright crown of glory. You shall be strong to do right, however hard and difficult at times it may be. And you shall be free! You shall break off the fetters of former sin. You shall enjoy the liberty of a conscience set free from the bonds of guilt. You shall have freedom of access into God's presence, as a dear child, crying Abba, Father. You shall experience that Christ's yoke is an easy one and His burden light, because you bear it in the spirit of grateful love.

In the service which Your love appoints
There are no bounds for me,
But my heart is taught the secret truth
That makes Your children free,
And a life of self-renouncing love
Is a life of liberty.

Yes, abiding in Christ, waiting upon the Lord in humble, continual prayer, you shall be "strong and free." 

Before I close this paper I should like to draw a couple of contrasts.

You may remember the story of an Irish eagle in its upward flight looking down on the lake beneath and catching sight of a carcass floating on the surface. Poising for a moment on its pinions, it darted downward, fixed its claws in the dead body of the animal, and gorged itself with the spoil it had found. But it never rose again. When it attempted to do so, the water had frozen on its wings, and it was shortly afterwards captured and killed.

The story has its lesson for the young. You may be caught in the same way. You have begun to seek a higher life - but there comes a terrible snare. Your eye is attracted by something which is pleasant to the flesh, and if you yield, it may be death to the soul. You may be drawn down to earth. You may lose all taste for higher things. The wing of faith may lose its power. You may be led by this one thing, to give up the bright and blessed hope of the everlasting kingdom, and you may live and die without Christ and without hope.

Remember the words, "He who sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

But let me present another contrast. Have you ever noticed the eagles chained and caged at the Zoological Gardens? There you see some noble bird which, in its native state, would roam for miles, and make many a flight toward the sky - now unable to escape its fetters, and day after day losing more and more its vigor and strength. It is not now "strong and free", as once it may have been - but a poor captive, wearing out its life in its long imprisonment.

And is there not something here that may be parallel to the condition of many a one?

There are those who permit their thoughts and desires to be chained down to earth, by business duties or the cares of daily life. They give themselves  to these as if thee were nothing higher or better. They neglect the sacred duty of prayer. They never ponder the great truths of Holy Scripture. Even the Sunday makes but little difference, as on God's holy day there is no hearty seeking after God and His kingdom. Oh, do not thus cast away your brightest and highest privilege. Do not thus sacrifice the joys which might otherwise mingle with your commonest duties.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21).

~George Everard~

(The End)