Running Freedom

On Wednesday, February 7th I listened to another teaching cd while running 3 miles on the treadmill. I had hoped to be set free from the tiresome sound of the treadmill belt go round and round, but it still was in the low 20's and I was just too wimpy to face the cold elements.

But bless the Lord oh my soul, I finally got to run out in the wide open space yesterday! I was set free from the treadmill tangle and had a great 4 mile run out in the 38 degree sunny weather. I had such a blast! My pace was faster than usual and that was probably due to how excited I was to be outside. It had been a while and I thoroughly enjoyed breathing in the great glorious cool crisp fresh air of a beautiful February day. I had a great time with the Lord, meditating on His goodness and the freedom I have in Christ, my Savior.

Jesus has set me free from sin and death. I am no longer a slave to them, but to Christ, and willingly so! He is my Master, my gracious, merciful, loving, just, and faithful Master. "Let Thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee." For bound to Him, I know true freedom and run freely to the finish.

As I ran outside, moving forward, going somewhere, not just staying in one place like I do when tied to the treadmill, I thought about how much I do not want to stagnate as a Christian. I want to grow. I want to grow in Christ. I want to know Him more fully, I want to serve Him more faithfully. I want to be yoked to Him so much that nothing else ensnares me - no work of the flesh can claim me because I am free from those things! I am free and my course is unhindered to run on in Christ! To run on with Christ!

Because Christ is my Master, I can run free with a hedge of protection surrounding me from the traps Satan has set for me. I am a child of the New Covenant and as such God has angels to fight against principalities that war against me to see my freedom faulter.

Yes, I want to keep moving; to keep growing! I never want to come to a place where my anchor has landed and though I feel like I'm moving (like on a treadmill), I'm really only staying in one place. Jesus deserves so much more than our treadmill tactics. For His Name sake, for His Kingdom's sake, He deserves runners that are making headway. Runners going towards the mark of the upward call. It's freedom to advance upward. It's a bondage to turn to the right or to the left or to go backwards or to stay in the same place. And so by the grace of God, "here's my heart, Lord, oh take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above." Seal it and send it running, running freely, running forward!