finding no.mo.

Finding No-mo.

Finding No-mo.
Most people are familiar with the cute child’s movie finding nemo the disobedient nemo finds himself trapped and brought into captivity while his father searches to find the lost son. So many I think can relate to the tragedy of a lost child, one who has strayed from instruction because this world is a hard and cruel place. Unfortunately, wisdom often takes time to develop and terrible mistakes are made. I know because I was there. I knew I had to get out. I didn’t know what was there but something had to end my struggle …or I would. Those were cold terrible times. Still, I felt the bible had truth, I just didn’t understand it.
I often thought about what is a favorite passage of scripture now days. Galatians 5:1 says “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” As a young man I found that freedom in the world, I was Nemo. When I stumbled across that passage it didn’t make sense. I mean it didn’t make sense in that is seemed redundant and unnecessary somehow. Of course, when you set someone free, it is for freedom… why would he write that? All the things in my mind that amounted to noise and as I read looking for some comfort all I found was this?
I struggled with my life, struggled with having been abused. I had been involved in such a legalistic church that I knew I was guilty. If they didn’t teach me anything else I learned that lesson well. After all it was my fault, wasn’t it? I was the common denominator. It didn’t happen to anyone else but it always happened to me different people different times but I was the common thread. I was a sinner. I felt completely unworthy and unable to measure up and saw no reason to try… I quit. I was not going to go to church, or be a Christian, or anything like that. I couldn’t anyway so why try…NO.MO.
Then that passage… I couldn’t shake it. For freedom could that mean I was able to do anything now? I mean I’m free now I can drink, hang with friends feel more like what I always wanted to be. I could be normal. But I wasn’t free. I was just in bondage to something else. I tried to take off the chains of abuse and self-harm and self-hatred and I shackled myself to a beer bottle. Or whatever happened to be handy. I could be free then. No inhibition no shame. Oh I felt so much freedom .Such glory, until morning. Then, Payment due. Sins wages will be paid, all at once or a little at a time, not sure what is worse. but by the grace of God, I came to know something.
“For God so loved the world (Jeff) that he gave his only son. So that whosoever (if Jeff) believed in him(he) would not perish but have eternal life.” I came to find freedom in love. I found it in mercy and Grace! And now I serve, but not in slavery, though I am a slave to love He loved ME… UNBELIEVABLE! And yet it is believable. He did it. I came to understand that we are always going to be a slave in this world. But to be a slave to the one who loves you like that, man sign me up. So, I found it. Nomo. Nomo shame, Nomo isolation, Nomo Slave to that hard master… Nomo, not me. Not ever again.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I found Nomo

Jeff