Once upon a time there was train that was different than all other trains. It had the same engine, valves, chimney, whistle, driving wheels, cylinders and all the other parts of the other locomotives around him, but it wanted freedom.
All the other trains were happy and laborious, but our friend was very unhappy in any situation. It hated hauling anything behind its powerful engines. Every time that a wagon, coach or rail car was attached to it, it was furious!
One day, it decided to escape the “tyranny” of the railways to seek freedom in other greener pastures. Everywhere it went, the same result always followed. It got stuck on the sand and on the mud; it moved very slowly in crowded streets and it drowned in the rivers.
Soon it realized that this was not the life of freedom that it had envisioned. It was stuck and the more energy it used to get itself free, the deeper it went into the ground. Oh, how miserable it was in this deplorable condition. It was not free; it was not happy; it was not living.
After years of oblivion and desolation, the little train felt itself lifted off the ground by a powerful crane and was delicately placed on a recently built train track nearby. As soon as the wheels touched the railways everything changed. The train realized that now it was free, really free to travel everywhere it wanted on the tracks.
This is our story too. Like the train, we sought freedom in the mud of sin like the Prodigal son (Luke 15:16) and built our homes (lives) on the sinking sand (Matthew 7:26, 27). Soon we realized that a life of sin does not produce freedom, but only slavery (Romans 6:22)
Our freedom began on the day we were brought to the cross of Calvary by the grace of God. Our freedom began on the day in which we became the slaves of Christ. This is illustrated in many sections of Scripture, but it can be clearly seen in Matthew 11:28:30,
“Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
In Christ we find rest and freedom (John 8:31, 32). Come to Christ today and you will find rest as you become his servant (slave) by taking his “yoke.” This yoke does not represent evil slavery or exploitation on the part of Christ, our Master. A yoke is made for two, so this clearly represents our sweet union with our Lord and Savior.
The tracks represent freedom for a train and our yoke in (with) Christ is the greatest liberty that the universe will ever witness. Our sinful “freedom” of our previous life was total slavery and death, but our slavery in Christ is freedom, joy, peace, love and life.
Are you truly free today?
A. G.
