Considering the Leaves?
One by one, stray leaves are plucked off of their branches and whisked through the air, eventually landing in my path. As I run, I watch their transition, almost momentarily getting a glimpse of another, and another?and another. Though their time of beauty and transition is short, finally they are free from the old body to which they belonged. They must die if they are to experience the freedom of the breeze and the beauty for which their life was made. Through the week I?ve been thinking on how the apostle Paul speaks of himself and other Christians as being ?slaves? or ?bondservants? of Christ. As I compare the alternative ? being a slave to sin ? I consider the leaves.
Before the leaf falls, it is a slave to the body to which he has always belonged ? the tree. Once the leaf begins changing color, it?s not long before he must die. He gains his freedom and makes his journey from his old body to the ground ? which is most beautiful for onlookers to watch ? and finally lands where he will be trampled, run over, broken and possibly even burned ? a slave, now, to death.
As people walk (or run!) by the fallen leaves, they speak and think of their beauty and talk often of their colorful lives. Chilren pile them up and jump through them. Some make collections and study their traits. In death, their lives are realized and, though they are slaves to death, they are free form their old body?just like us.
As I consider being a slave to Christ, yet being free in Christ, I ask myself, ?What am I a slave to?? and, ?What am I free from??
I am free from grudges, unforgiveness, purposelessness, despair, depression, obligation and the law, just to name a few. I am a slave to forgiveness, love, hope, righteousness, and dying a death of beauty and purpose ? daily ? including being trampled, run over, broken, and possibly even burned. Still, the Lord gives me death with freedom in place of death without hope, and for that I am grateful.
As the gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit plucks your changed life from your old body of sin, know that weherever He takes you is the most beautiful place for others to watch and for you to live in. You are beginning your journey of dying daily to what once enslaved you and held you prisoner. It?s amazing to be free.
??What you sow does not come to life unless it dies?.? ~1 Corinthians 15:36