Unleashed

I am so excited to announce that Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace is being released in paperback on June 9th. Here is a sample chapter from that book.

Journal Entry:

Hannah loves the morning walk. When she sees me grab my walking shoes, she begins to vibrate with excitement. If the Department of Energy wants to find an untapped green energy source, it should harness Labrador tails. I think Hannah could power a small apartment building when she gets excited and that tail starts oscillating. I love the morning walk as well. It is a time to meditate, pray, listen to good music, and enjoy God’s company.
The walk is pretty much the same each day for Hannah. She checks for new messages left by other canine friends along her social network. Sometimes she leaves a reply. She gets excited when she sees another person, dog, or anything breathing, really. Hannah loves life.

As I clipped the leash to Hannah’s collar this morning, I couldn’t help but notice her enthusiasm. She was happy just to get out and walk. The leash didn’t spoil the anticipation of heading out the door, and despite its restriction, she still found abundant stimulation along the way.
When we got to the park, it was empty. As usual, we started out by a sign that sternly warned miscreants not to let their dogs run free. Today we were in temporary violation of city code 5544.

We entered a wooded area on the back side of the park where I felt comfortable letting Hannah run free. She became visibly energized by her liberation.

She ran ahead of me, spun around, and sprinted back. She spotted a squirrel several yards away and instinctively froze. Her body tensed in anticipation; she crouched down and took a few slow, deliberate steps, stalking her prey.

Then she bolted full throttle at the squirrel, ears flying in the wind.
The squirrel darted up a tree and Hannah stopped, looked up, and then turned with an expression of complete satisfaction as she trotted back toward me. She had a doggie smile from ear to ear. Hannah was fully alive when she was off the leash. Her freedom gave her such joy and energy. The squirrels weren’t as keen with the idea.

When we reached the front part of the park, I called her and reattached the leash. Her body language was still happy, but there was not quite as much spring in her step. The leash again restricted her freedom.
Hannah’s joyous foray into freedom made me think about my journey with Jesus. I was introduced to faith in Christ in a church that put a legalistic leash on my daily Christian walk.

Our church leaders reminded me of characters from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We did not have the dreaded knights who said, “Ni.” We had the dreaded pastors who said, “No.”
I’m certain there were several volumes filled with things that were forbidden. Here is a sample platter of no-no’s I was asked to follow.
NO movies.
NO drinking.
NO mixed swimming.
NO television.
NO cards.
NO rock-and-roll music.
NO smoking.
NO slacks for women.
NO long hair for men.
Corollary: NO short hair for women.

You get the idea. It’s not surprising that it took me a long time to figure out grace and freedom in Christ. Ironically, there are a few noes in the New Testament that our moralists somehow overlooked. This little “no” verse would have come in handy (capitalization and italics added for emphasis).

There is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2

That would have been a refreshing mist of grace to our parched flock. Or how about these “no” verses (capitalization and italics added for emphasis)?
This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is NO fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19, NIV

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is NO commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31, NIV

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps NO record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

I have been crucified with Christ and I NO longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
Galatians 2:20-21, NIV

That is a very different “no” list than the first one.
NO condemnation.
NO fear.
NO commandment greater than to love God and your neighbor.
NO record of wrongdoing when you love one another.
NO longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.

Hannah’s foray off the leash reminded me again of my freedom from the burden of performance-based salvation. Remembering that restores the bounce in my step and spirit. In the freedom of grace, I am realizing and believing who God says I am. When I am unleashed by grace, I understand and trust who God says He is.

Like Hannah, I could live on my leash of moralism and get by fairly well. I did it for decades. Most of you wouldn’t have noticed my constraints. I would still have fun and enjoy the journey, just as Hannah enjoyed the restricted part of her walk. But why should I accept partial freedom when God is offering complete freedom in His amazing grace?

Take off whatever leash is holding you back today and run freely in grace. Choose to believe that there is no condemnation in Christ for those who belong to Him. Don’t settle for some self-imposed leash of performance. Hannah would tell you that the real blessing is running with complete freedom.

God’s grace unhooks the leash and allows you to run unfettered and worship. God loves watching your exuberant liberation in Him. And He enjoys it when you turn and smile toward the heavens with complete satisfaction.

Enjoy the grace-filled romp of freedom just as Hannah did. Walk (or run with ears flying) to Jesus. Approach Him with confidence, not in fear and shame. Having that relationship allows you to give up your burden of self-sufficiency and let Jesus lead.