WHAT DROVE INKY TO RISK IT ALL?
Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash
This post is taken from my book, The Perfect Savior, a forty-day Easter devotional. Order from Our Daily Bread, Amazon, or BarneyCargile.com
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Inky the octopus was a resident at the New Zealand National Aquarium. One evening, a maintenance worker left the lid to Inky’s tank slightly ajar. Seizing the moment, Inky squeezed through the opening and slithered across the floor. He discovered a drain which emptied into the ocean, maneuvered through it, and returned to the open seas. The next morning, technicians discovered the slightly open tank, along with a trail of octopus slime ending at the drain. Inky was free.
Inky’s ingenious escape perhaps points to the longing in every creature’s heart for freedom. Jesus acknowledged this when he described his mission. “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). Jesus died on the cross to free us from the oppression of sin and promised, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
After eternal salvation, perhaps the greatest blessing of the cross is freedom. Freedom from the bondage of sin. Freedom to embrace our God-given identity. Freedom to experience the abundant life God intended for each of us (John 10:10).
Whether you’re locked up in prison, stuck in a dead-end job, or trapped in a loveless marriage, Jesus offers a new kind of freedom. One that isn’t based on external circumstances. One that enables us to rise above the worst situations and soar in the Spirit.
Human culture defines freedom as casting off restraints and doing what we want, when we want, however we want. But look around. How does this philosophy play out in the lives of those who espouse it? Addiction, disease, and heartbreak go hand in hand with this lifestyle. True freedom doesn’t come from indulging our flesh, but from submitting to God (Galatians 5:13). By accepting the freedom Jesus offers we are “free indeed.”
Ponder:
In what area of life have you struggled to feel free?
How does the promise of Jesus to “set the oppressed free” offer you hope?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Galatians 5:1-16.
Lord, thank you for setting me free at the cross. Help me walk in this freedom each day.