Bound By Freedom
A 5-DAY DEVOTIONAL
Just as God first breathed the spirit of life into man in Eden, so we rely on Him to sustain us still. We survive by His power, through His word, and for His glory. To believe the Gospel is to live; to live is to obey. This is the freedom for which Jesus set us free.
Day 1: Submission to His Spirit
Verses: Genesis 2:7; Psalm 25:8-10; Matthew 11:28-30; John 14:26; Acts 7:51; Romans 14:23b; Galatians 5:16-25; Colossians 1:15-17; James 1:-5-8
Our origin is not unlike the mud pile you walk by after a rain storm. Yet the skillful hand of the Master Craftsman shaped dirt into man and filled Adam’s lungs with the very breath of God. “And so man became a living creature.” This is not simply poetry or prose, but is in fact the first moments of the form made in the holy Image. We are built to bear His likeness and sustained by Him still; our sin is a rebellion against Him and a marring of the Image we are crafted to mirror.
To submit to our Maker is to believe His word, confess His name, and trust His goodness. To disobey is to spurn His testimony and blaspheme the truth of the Gospel. Submission to Jesus’ light and easy yoke is the work of faith, and it is here we find rest from striving against our Maker. “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”
Father, thank You for Your sustaining hand and breath that keeps me alive. Thank You for the Helper so I may love what You love, hate what You hate, and not strive against You. Strengthen me today to submit to Your light and easy yoke.
Day 2: To Love is to Obey
Verses: Deuteronomy 5:11; Matthew 7:17-19; John 13:35; 14:15-24; 15:1-11; Romans 11:29; 13:8-10; Ephesians 1:18; 2:8-10; Colossians 1:9-12; James 1:19-25; 2:8-26
“If you love Me, obey Me.” Jesus could not say it more simply. To love is to obey. To bear faith is to bear the good fruit of good works. When we obey the LORD’s commands, we live our fidelity to the name given to us in covenant with Him—let us never bear His name in vain. It is far too holy.
Per Paul in Ephesians 2, as surely as we are saved, we are made for good works. The apostle’s prayer and burden for those of us who believe is that we would live in a manner worthy of this precious gift and calling, irrevocable as it is, and that Jesus would receive the appropriate reward for His suffering in our lives.
We have no higher calling that fidelity and faithfulness to the One who has bound Himself to us in covenant. Let us love Him well.
Jesus, thank You for your faithfulness to me. I can do nothing apart from You. I cannot breathe without Your command to my lungs. Help me not only live for you, but to love You well. You so deserve to be loved well.
Day 3: To Obey is to be Free
Verses: John 8:43-47; Acts 5:32; Romans 6:1-23; 8:12-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 3:10-14; 5:5:1; Colossians 1:18; James 1:17
We cannot master ourselves. We belong either to darkness or light, sin or sonship, the father of lies or the Father of lights. Our obedience to Jesus is evidence of His ownership over our minds, bodies, emotions, and lives. Discipleship is the daily dying to ourselves and receiving His grace to obey His word, lest we be bound again by the same chains He liberated us from to begin with. Sin is not worth the slavery. Jesus is worth the liberty.
It is His great kindness to set us free, simply for the sake of freedom. If we do not see Jesus Himself as freedom personified, we will be tempted as Eve was by the serpent’s deceit in Eden. Obedience for love and freedom is to cling to the truth of who Jesus is, even when we do not always understand. We cling to His goodness and pursue His preeminence in all things. Our Father will take care of us from there.
Jesus, thank You for setting me free. It cost You everything; I paid nothing and gained everything. Thank You for Your grace and strength in Your abiding Spirit to help me walk in holiness and remain free from further chains to the evil one. If I must be a slave, I want to be Yours. Bind me to You.
Day 4: To Be Free is to Thrive
Verses: Psalm 16:1-11; 84:11; John 10:10; Romans 6:22; Galatians 1:4; 5:1; Ephesians 2:12; Colossians 21-23; James 1:17
The fruit of obedience is a healthy and fulfilling life. This does not excuse us from suffering, trial, grief, or pain—but it does guide us to find Jesus even when it is dark and we can’t quite see. The promise of the Gospel is that in this “present evil age,” we can live free from the dark despair Jesus saved us from. We were alienated from Him even in our minds, but He brought us near. He set us free for freedom’s sake because His Father wanted Him to, and in obeying Him, we are given access to every good and perfect gift He will grant to those who walk uprightly.
Jesus, You are the Life and life abundant. You are my exceedingly great reward, and I am empowered by Your Spirit in me to live within the pleasant boundaries You’ve placed me in. Help me stay within the bounds of freedom today, that I might experience the fullness of all You are and all You have for me today. I trust You and confess You are totally good. There is no shadow of turning in You.
Day 5: Be Not Entangled
Verses: Psalm 15:1-5; 1 Corinthians 10:23; Galatians 3:1-14; 4:8-11; Ephesians 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:1-7
When we see Jesus for who He is, we see that He is better than sin and “secondary pleasures.” Sometimes it is best to abstain from permissible things that are not profitable; perhaps not for the moment, not for a season, and sometimes not ever. It is one thing to trust Jesus for salvation; it is another to obey Him and steer clear of sin. His dream for us is a full and satisfying life in which He is our portion and prize; finding this depth of joy in Him liberates us to pursue Him whole-heartedly, which is the inheritance He deserves.
Obedience is the holy slavery binding us to our Maker and preserving us from slavery to sin; living in the light of His countenance saves us from both defiling stains and settling for satisfaction in secondary pleasures—legitimate as they may be (relationships, work, adventure, art)—and ushers us into the full life ordained for us in Jesus. This also brings Him tremendous pleasure.
Father, preserve me from weeds that entangle and choke out Your word from the soil of my heart. Help me walk in the light of Your countenance; thank You that obedience gives me access to deep pleasure and full delight in You—and that You take so much joy in my joy. Bring me into the fullness of Your joy. You are my exceedingly great reward.