Do you remember the days before the internet? I like to think of them fondly as the days of “yore.” This happened back when we found friends by literally being in the same place and running into each other. I really love how the interwebs have allowed us to easily find like-hearted people and new friends. It can be a wonderful experience to find another kind person who loves what you love.
Today’s bible entry brought up a very old memory (from the days of yore) and I wondered if I should share it with you kind readers. I’m using the super cute bible journaling devotional and elements by Emily Karwoski. I loved reading her entry about finding freedom in the Lord. Many years ago, before internet searches, yelp reviews, and general webpage knowledge, my newly married self was on an airplane traveling a long distance away. I tagged along on a job interview for my new youth pastor husband.
We found ourselves in that very uncomfortable place where you suddenly realize you’re not where you thought you were going. In fact, you’ve made a big mistake. We ended up interviewing for a job that came with so very many rules, many of which made no sense. One of which involved shoes. Back in the days of yore, they made dress shoes with a suede finish. They were pretty popular, and also could be worn for dressy occasions. They were also against the rules. There was also a rule about living in a moldy basement. I won’t go on because I don’t want this to be a rant, but I wanted to share that this felt like the opposite of freedom.
Friends, we ended up not moving to this basement-dwelling, shoe-specific place. That’s not the life that we wanted to live. Because of Jesus, I know that I can live freely in the Spirit. If I run into an arbitrary rule, I can ask the Holy Spirit if this is Truth, and I’m so thankful for that.
I’m so thankful the apostles in Acts 5 kept preaching about Jesus and refused to be quiet about the good news. Thank you for joining me here today, friends.
