The Land of Hopes and Dreams

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Day 1 - 50 Days till Freedom

Reading:  Genesis 1:26-31, 2:18-3:24

The words “freedom” and “church,” when spoken in the same sentence often produce in people a three-pronged counter-attack of raised eyebrows, cringed faces and flooded emotions that communicate their response that says “freedom” and “church” only belong together with the word “versus” between them.  This is because churches, for many people, have been experiences of “restriction” not freedom; yet, this is not how God intended it to be.

In these initial verses, a sense of clarity to what man and woman were supposed to do and be was formed. They were to take the newly formed creation and rule it, subdue its wildness and bring its chaos into a beautiful order; so that it reflected the image of God.  Adam began that work through naming the animals.  Remember, it was not just ordering the world that they were called to do, but to fill it with beauty.  Man and woman would accomplish this by bearing fruit and filling the world; filling the world with the image of the glory of God.  In the beginning there was clarity.

In the beginning there was also freedom.  They were free from death, sin, brokenness and shame.  The fact that they were naked and did not feel shame was a testament to their spiritual condition before God and before each other.

What broke everything was deception and the fall.  The fall of man damaged them and made their callings unclear and difficult.  From then on the work of bringing order came with sweat, bearing fruit came with pain, and the relationship between a man and woman was hindered by sin and brokenness. The calling of man and woman wasn’t removed. God himself did not remove their freedom to choose.  The curse of death, sin and brokenness entered and left a wake of bondage that would build upon itself; essentially strapping chains across each person born to Adam and Eve and their descendants. 

The curse wasn’t the final word.  The first five books of the Bible aren’t really about the fall and brokenness.  They are about God rolling out a plan to reverse the curse, save the world, and liberate His children to experience the true freedom He created them for.  

These next fifty days each blog entry will begin to unravel the story.  The story of the road to freedom that God leads his people on.  We hope you will follow along with us, and as you see the story of freedom for God’s ancient people unfold, may you see your story of freedom unfold as well.