THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM

 

 

  THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM

 

Additional Suggested Scripture Readings: John 4: 1- 30

Scripture Emphasis: 

John 4: 13-15 “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” So, the woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

I have taken the liberty of naming the main character in this story Joanna. It seems fitting since the Biblical meaning of the name Joanna is ‘God is gracious.’ God’s gracious intervention saves Joanna.

More than a dozen demands jostled for immediate attention in Joanna’s over-taxed mind. Innumerable household chores mocked her every suggestion of further delay. But one is now urgent above all others. It was to fill the three empty water jars inside the cottage door of their humble dwelling in Sychar. Would she have time now to make it to Jacob’s well and return with water to cook dinner for her working husband?

 Life had never delivered on a promise of happiness in marriage for her; instead, five relationships ended in separation. And to this present moment, she had no reprieve from the demands to behave in ways designed always to please. Today the scorching noon-day sun offered assistance to make the current undertaking even more tortuous. But then, the heat of the noon-day sun would only burn her body, but the scornful approach of gossiping town’s folks seared her soul. Hopefully, no one else would be at Jacob’s well at this hour to deliver the usual treatment; even so, unseen, leering eyes had forever imprisoned her memory.

Some days, other burdens demanded attention, thereby adding weight to an already overburdened mind and body. People thought they knew all the details of her lost dreams and her broken heart. As a result, they destroyed her every effort to make a fresh start by weaponizing their half-truths.

The fact is, this world is often blind to one’s every attempt to be something other than that image decided by those who think they know. Conclusions and pronouncements arbitrarily thought to be true often determine one’s destiny. Such action forces another human being to be a mere object, issuing from combined forces. This predetermining of anyone’s future is anathema to the Creator’s will. 

Joanna’s life, as described, reflects the state of being determined. Joanna’s awareness of her seemingly inescapable situation suggests itself throughout the episode. Yet, her desire to be more than another example of human misfortune is also apparent. 

 Joanna’s effort to snap the chains that bind her to the harsh expectations dictated by the world is slow at the beginning. Therefore, Jesus finds every attempt to engage Joanna in conversation produces pat answers, indicative of her unfamiliar experience of in-depth dialogue. For example, Jesus’ polite request for a drink of water results in Joanna’s curt response,” Why are you asking me for a drink? You are a Jew; I am a Samaritan.” Likewise, every theme approached by Jesus meets with evasion, reflective of the shallow, worldly wisdom that governs Joanna’s every thought. Joanna’s entire life reveals a pattern of ‘forcible compulsion,’ which changes her from a free individual with the power to choose for herself into an object to be mastered. And everyone thus controlled becomes an object perpetually imprisoned mentally and spiritually.
When the world reduces its subjects to mere objects, Jesus Christ alone provides the sole remedy.
The record of Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the wilderness reveals how He dealt with the world’s gripping temptation to choose the world’s way of conducting His life instead of God’s way.

Here, Jesus refuses to be acted upon by worldly influences. But instead, taking control of the situation, He becomes the one who responds incisively. He is the Subject. Jesus said, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone”.
( Matt.4: 10). The Subject is that which determines itself to be—resulting from neither coercion nor being driven by some external force.

Jesus now approaches Joanna to change her from an object into a liberated subject with the Freedom to choose her destiny.
Even though Joanna’s response to Jesus’ suggestion concerning the availability of living water remains nonchalant, it becomes the occasion for Jesus to teach everyone that God’s gift of His everlasting Spirit is His special gift to all who live.

            “Speak thou to Him, for He heareth,
               And Spirit with Spirit doth meet.
         Closer is He than breathing, nearer than
         hands or feet.” (2)

Celebrate with Joanna in her God-given absolute Freedom. No longer is she a play-thing of fate, an object under the dictates of the world. Instead, she is an admirable subject. She learns, ” Not by might and not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty,( Zechariah 4:6),
With a newfound boldness, it follows that she invites her accusers to come to the fountainhead of her Freedom. She acts upon the worries and cares that tortured her yesterday by leaning her Spirit upon the Spirit indwelling her. ” Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom.” (2 Corinthians3:17) 

A Prayer To Follow This Meditation

Father,
I am confused about the world’s current definition of Freedom.
Please help me with the slowness of my understanding, and forgive me if I  have paid too much attention to the expressed definitions and not enough attention to Your revelation of what genuine Freedom is.
I experienced an angry crowd screaming from overtaxed vocal cords the words “Freedom, Freedom,” but yet Freedom and respect held hands and silently stole away from that scene.
Restrictions mandated because of a virus that killed millions of humans become interpreted as an infringement upon personal rights and freedoms. Father, forgive such an unsympathetic attitude that might threaten the wellbeing of other fellow humans.
Father, from the earliest times, you have shown us what Freedom looks like. To this day, You show us that Freedom always co-exists with Responsibility. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to dwell amongst us and teach us that we must always be about our Father’s business. Quicken our understanding, never to replace God-given Freedom with a fake worldly duplicate. Only then shall we be able to join in the chorus: ” Free at last, Free at last. Thank God Almighty we are free at last.” We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. 

HYMN:  Make Me A Captive, Lord  ( click the link below)

 

https://youtu.be/ReNKgXAaYsE

 

 

NOTES

1. Scripture quotations are from the NIV translation of Scripture.
2. ” The Higher Pantheon” poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
3. “ Make Me A Captive , Lord” hymn by Fountainview Academy.