As you probably know by now, I love to play Fantasy sports. Running your own team, making decisions on which players to draft and trade, and being in charge of a franchise is an awesome experience.
Over the past two years, Magic Johnson had this role in “real life” with the Los Angeles Lakers. As ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne explains, “Magic Johnson had the title he'd always wanted. He had the power to guide one of the most important franchises in sports, carte blanche.
"Anything he wanted to do as president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, he had the power to do. Fire the coach. Trade any player. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss told him that repeatedly.”
Although Magic Johnson had all of this freedom in the Laker's front office, not until he stepped down earlier this week was he able to say, “I'm a free bird and I've been handcuffed and I don't like that.”
Instead of enjoying that perceived freedom, Magic actually felt handcuffed because he had to deal with the other aspects of the job like worrying about tampering, being criticized by the fans and media, and feeling the pressure to win quickly.
What Magic experienced is something that parallels the battle of spiritual freedom that each of us faces. Many people are enticed by the perceived freedom of power or the ability to do whatever we want.
Culture promotes individuals to do what feels best and we are misled into thinking the freedom to do whatever we selfishly desire will bring us happiness.
The truth is, that kind of freedom actually leads to being handcuffed or becoming a slave to sin. Real freedom comes when we step down and surrender to Jesus and follow His way instead.
Then, as Romans 6:14 (NLT) says, "Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.”
Romans 8:2 (NLT) also explains, “And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
As we recognize that true freedom is available through Jesus, there are two aspects of that truth we must remember.
First, in Galatians 5:1 (NLT): "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
We don’t want to get caught up in trying to earn God’s grace by our behavior, but instead, we freely obey His law because of our love for Him.
Secondly, we don’t want to abuse God’s grace and freedom. As Romans 6:1-2 (AMP) tells us, “What shall we say ? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that grace may increase and overflow? Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer?”
So today, let’s realize the wonderful gift of freedom we have in Jesus and not be enticed by the world's perceived freedom that leaves us handcuffed.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace You’ve shown me. Because of Jesus, I've been freed from the power of sin and the burden of the law, so please help me live in that freedom. It’s in His name I pray, Amen.
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