Daily Affirmations - Day 1 - Free Indeed: The Chains That Bind

This week's Theme: Free Indeed

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Day 1: The Chains that bind

This is what the Lord says: “In the time of My favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and will make You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’” (Isaiah 49:8-9).

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As a child, I clearly could not understand the deeper themes of Jonathan Swift's classic, Gulliver's Travels. But I was nevertheless fascinated by the title character's strange travels to fantastical lands.

I was even more fascinated by the the illustrations— especially by the vivid picture of Gulliver bound and surrounded by the diminutive inhabitants of Lilliput. The picture always filled me with a vague sense of unease, and perhaps even then the mild claustrophobia that would later surface with any hint of confinement.

The allegorical tale of Gulliver's travels was not necessarily intended to reflect spiritual truths, but the image of Gulliver, tied and fastened, straitened and bound, could well represent many of the realities of the spiritual world. The Lord God Himself used the image of captivity and freedom to describe the mission of His Messiah, who would "say to... captives, 'Come out!' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!'" (Isaiah 49:9).

But even for those already committed to following the Lord Jesus, Scripture highlights the danger of slipping into one area or another of captivity. The apostle Paul encouraged the new Galatian church and warned them against slavishly substituting a religious system limited by humanity (Hebrews 10:1-13), for the grace they had received from the Lord Jesus:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1).

The writer of the Book of Hebrews uses similar language to urge escape from potential tangles and obstructions: let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles... (Hebrews 12:1). And in a discussion that is as relevant to us as it was to His audience at the time, Jesus decisively declared, If the Sons sets You free, You will be free indeed (John 8:36).

To a world bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction (Job 36:8), He offers gentle cords and bands of love [cords of human kindness and ties of love] (Hosea 11:4 - NKJV, ESV). And a way out of spiritual claustrophobia.

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Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;

Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

~ Charles Wesley, pub. 1738