“When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven”.
Harriet Tubman, Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman By Sarah Hopkins Bradford.
Selfless, brave, determined… these are all character qualities my students used to describe Harriet Tubman after reading about her life. Tubman fell to her knees in prayer after crossing the Pennsylvania border exhilarated by her newfound freedom. She then pressed on and began her new life in Philadelphia. But the money she made working was for the primary purpose of gaining freedom for others who were still enslaved. History tells us that Tubman was also a nurse, cook, and spy during the Civil War. Later in life, she opened her home to those who were in need. Through it all, she trusted the Lord to be her Source and Strength.
I believe that Harriet Tubman’s life journey reflects the Kingdom of Heaven culture. Each person that God creates has a purpose, something they bring to this world that no one else can. Whether or not we fulfill that purpose has much to do with the decisions we make in our personal journey. Sometimes those decisions mean determining whether or not we will allow ourselves to stay enslaved… enslaved to self-pity, rejection, pride, pain, greed, or broken dreams.
Ultimately, the things that drive or enslave us can all be summed up by the word “fear,” fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of hurt, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection. “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God,”1 This morning, I found myself singing this line, along with everyone else, but I felt the words deeper in my spirit than I ever had before. I had been enslaved by fear in the past. It drove me to do things I wouldn’t typically do and it drove me to not do things that I should do. Knowing that I don’t have to be driven by fear any longer is liberating!
Being strong or confident is not the opposite of fear; it is faith in His love that is the antithesis of fear! We all long to be known and loved. It is only in knowing the perfect love of our Heavenly Father that the chains of fear can be rendered useless. Why does perfect love drive out fear?2 Because when we get a revelation of His perfect or unconditional love for us, we can trust His plans for us. Perfect love is the truth that when life is difficult, loss rocks our world, or pain is suddenly staring us in the face, it is not for the purpose of tormenting us or punishing us! Our circumstances are NOT a reflection of God’s love for us or His value of us! We can be confident that no matter what comes our way, He is always with us, loving us, and causing everything to work out well for us… eventually!3
We might be tempted to stop there, basking in the knowledge that we are perfectly loved by this amazing God!! Sometimes we do need to just soak in His presence (after all, He IS love!) and allow the joy of knowing His love to go deep. But there’s more to the journey. Isaiah 58 talks about what is pleasing to the Lord. He doesn’t want us to keep love’s freedom to ourselves! He wants us to help others who are enslaved find freedom too; much like Harriet Tubman did when she took multiple trips south to lead others to freedom. Was it convenient? No. Was it safe? No. Was it easy? No. But it was her destiny and purpose to help others find {physical} freedom.
How much more important is it for you and I to help others find spiritual freedom! Freedom from the fear that strangles out life and hope, freedom from the fear that keeps us from reaching out, freedom from the fear that chokes our trust, and freedom from the fear that breeds bitterness. That’s a tall order, isn’t it?! How can we help others find the freedom of knowing that they are unconditionally loved by their Creator? We become virtual conduits that allow the love of our amazing Father to flow through us to others!
By tapping into Him, our Source, and relying on His strength, we become the concrete example of God’s unconditional love to others. As those walking in freedom, we set the vision and standard of freedom for EACH person we encounter! We believe and declare that He loves them in the middle of their mess, just like He loves us even when we were at our worst.
Will loving those enslaved in fear be convenient? Safe? Easy? No, no, and no, but it’s our destiny and purpose to help others find freedom in His perfect love!4 This precious freedom then enables them to walk in their destinies setting even more people free! It’s the circle of Kingdom life!
I’d like to say that I’m a pro at this thing of helping others find freedom from fear. It would be great if I could tell you that I’ve got the perfect love thing down pat. I don’t… I’m working on it, stumbling along, sometimes failing, and sometimes succeeding. The good news is that there is always hope! Each day is a new beginning and nothing is set in stone until we breathe our last breath! Each encounter with another person is an opportunity to value one of God’s precious creations and demonstrate fear-freeing love.
Lord, Help me not to waste these opportunities!
Live Loved!
P.S. If this encouraged, challenged, or blessed you, please share on social media! 🙂 Also, thanks to my Aunt Sandy Hall for the great shot of Mount Fuji!
1Lyrics from: ”No Longer Slaves” Bethel Music
2“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” I John 4: 18
3 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
4Read more: I John 3:16-23, Mark 12:29-31, All Embracing Love… Really?