I Am the LORD Your God

Leviticus 26:13 - I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.

Oh, people, how this so is what Jesus does for us. If Egypt is a type of the world and we walk in this world's ways, He brings us out that we will no longer remain in captivity of all that is wrong in the world.

When we are in confinement we feel oppressed. Jesus breaks the yoke that we might be free. When we are free our entire outlook is different, there is a lilt in our step, we can walk upright. There may be those around us burdened by the things of the world (even those who don't realize they are burdened) but we have no need to feel that way again.

Here's a story of freedom!! Granted it's not what you might expect, but I believe even in the everyday things we can see glimpses of God and what He will do for us if we keep our hearts, minds and eyes focused on Him. So, the story: A friend was telling me I should journal about something recently. Then I read this scripture and eventually related it to what she said.

We had two cats. One had to be put down. So that the remaining cat, Wilson, would have a companion  we decided to get another cat. We had been trying to observe the "rules" for introducing a new cat into the home. One rule is to have a separate room for the newbie for a time so both can become acquainted through sounds and smells under the door!?

The new little girl, Treo, did not like being confined (in jail as my husband says). I really can't blame her but it holds back the growling and hissing from the 10 year old. In an attempt to promote a little better opportunity to see and smell I opened the door about an inch and put heavy objects at the door to hold it in that position.

One morning I went to get her out of her "cell" and noticed immediately that the door was no longer only one inch wide. Oops. She escaped. She had full range of the entire house all night. She was as happy as a clam. As my friend chuckled about this I could see no humor in it at the time. Not when I was the one in the midst of all the hissing!! Well, the damage was done, no point locking her up anymore.

She was confined and felt oppressed. Now she runs when we approach for what I believe is fear she will become confined again. Her yoke was broken in her escape and she DOES have a lilt to her step now. She walks upright. Wilson may be burdened for a time, but she is not! He too will escape that burden when he realizes how good it is to have her around! Ahem. (Not amen but ahem!)

I pray that when my enemy approaches I will run from his grasp and that I will be reminded of all that Christ did for me, for who I am in Christ, that I now have the mind of Christ, am being made daily into the likeness of He who redeemed and saved me. He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.

Just as God was the one who took His people out of the land of Egypt and into the land He promised, Jesus will do the same for anyone interested today. He is the same today as He was in the past and will always be. This world changes, but He never will. He will give us all good things (not necessarily things we can hold in our hands but an even more special gift, that of Himself and His strength, peace, hope and more) if we just believe in Him and are obedient. His desire is that all be removed from their burdens of guilt and shame brought about by sin. His desire is to break the yoke of slavery to sin. His desire is for us, that He can give us great things, treasures. The greatest gift He offers is His Son, Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3-6 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly  places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,  having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,  according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.