At the ripe old age of 62, I can say that getting older is interesting.  You know you’re older when burning the midnight oil means staying up until nine o’clock, or your knees will buckle but your belt won’t.  I actually identify with those statements, and we won’t even begin to talk about how little on the body is still high and lifted up!

One of the very best things about growing older is the blessing of becoming a grandparent.  I am Grammy to three boys, and Granny to one girl.  (No time to explain!)  Four treasures have truly captured my heart.  How I wish they all lived close-by!

Twenty-two month old Joseph was visiting recently.  Joseph loves the outdoors.  He will stand at my backdoor and stare outside, longing to be in the fresh air and sunshine.  On a warm winter day not long ago, I took Joseph in my backyard so he could play.  It was a delight to watch how happy he was.  Joseph played in leaves, “raked”, rolled in the grass, ran and had so much fun.  Joseph had been set free!

Joseph ventured over to the far side of my yard, getting as far as the fence.  Since there was not much to do, he headed back towards me.  I noticed he would stop every few steps and look down at his foot.  He would start walking again, stop and look down again.  Finally, as he got closer to me, I saw that in the process of walking, a vine got caught around his ankle, and was interfering with his walk.   Joseph arrived to the patio, sat down and removed the vine.  He then got right back up, and he was able to walk, even run again. Joseph was free again! Joseph had not been looking for something to inhibit his walk.  It just attached itself to him.

I shall not take a long time to describe the world in which we live right now.  Most of us are quite aware of the challenging, often dark times, we currently face.  We are on planet earth right now, so it is the world in which we must walk.  Most of us don’t try to intentionally get ourselves entangled in sinful behavior, or ungodly ways and attitudes. While some might, most of us don’t intentionally embrace things that scripture does not embrace.  It is so easy, because we are walking in this life, to become entangled by things and mindsets that don’t need to be a part of the Christian life.  They interfere with our ability to walk.  What do we do?  We stop on a daily basis and remove the things that have attached themselves to us.  It is necessary to regularly stop and get the mind of Christ, and the will of God.  Jesus Christ died to set us free.

Does something have you tangled up?  Get rid of the vines that bind.  Let them go! Get rid of them! Jesus Christ died to set us free.  As Joseph proved, it’s a lot easier and much more fulfilling to walk when one is free!

“Christ has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. So keep on standing firm in it, and don’t become entangled under the yoke of slavery again.” – Galatians 5:1