Freedom

February 2

Exodus 9-10

Psalm 18:13-19

Proverbs 4:1-2

Matthew 21:28-46

Freedom

“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”  Psalm 18:19 NIV

“He brought me out into a spacious place” seems like a strange use of words until we consider where David had been.  For some time, David had been hiding in the wilderness of Judea.  This was a desolate area, with bare hills and deep, rough valleys.  There were steep cliffs of rocks in many shapes and sizes with caves and plenty of hiding places.  David and his men spent almost six years hiding from Saul.  I always enjoyed playing hide and seek as a kid, but I remember one time when I was playing with some friends that I did not enjoy it very much.  There were some bushes and trees along the fences that separated our houses in the back.  I had decided to crawl in between them to hide.  It took some effort to get back in there where I was hidden, but I was quite proud of myself for finding the best hiding place ever.  I waited and waited very quietly.  I could hear my friends searching, but I kept quiet.  After a while, they all went to other yards to search.  I tried to get out to run to “home base” where I would be safe, but I was stuck.  No matter how hard I tried, I could not free myself from between the bushes and the fence.  I began to yell but found out later that my friends had all been called home for lunch and thought I had gone home as well.  After several hours of sitting there crying (well ok, it was only about 30 minutes, but it felt like hours) my grandmother came looking for me and helped me escape the bushes.  I was so relieved to be free after being cramped up in that little space that I ran all the way home.  I cannot imagine being cramped up in caves and hiding behind rocks afraid for my life for six years.  David must have felt tremendous joy and relief when God brought him into a wide-open space where he didn’t have to worry about being attacked.  He was safe. When God rescues us from our enemies and from the fear and anxiety that entangles us, we are free.  We can be exposed and laid bare before Him because we are safe in His hands.  He desires to rescue us because He delights in us and wants us to experience freedom and peace.