I opened my Bible this morning, looking for Proverbs chapter 12. I actually opened up to Proverbs 23 instead. Now, this is my BIBLE. You know my Bible, Bible. I have many Bibles, as most people do, but this one is special.  This is my thick and thin Bible. This is the one that has been my continuous companion. I bought this Bible shortly after being immersed in the waters of baptism, and now I strive to be daily immersed in its words.

At heart I’m a word nerd (or scholar) depending on how you view it. I enjoy looking up definitions for a deeper understanding of what is being read and communicated.

If you’ve been a Christian long, chances are you’ve heard that word, immersed, more than once.  It doesn’t seem to come up too often in casual conversation though 

So, without further adieu:

Immerse (v.)

  1. Dip or submerge in a liquid
  2. Involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest

Synonyms: absorb in, engross in, occupy by/with, involve in and my personal favorite-lose oneself in!

Get it? See why I want to immerse myself DAILY in God’s Word? I want to lose myself in it!

Back to Proverbs….When I flipped open to Proverbs 23 the first thing that caught my eye was the upside down postal stamp stuck (forever) upside down, right in the middle of the page.

Just like a domino, this stamp triggered many thoughts. My mind’s eye immediately transported me to the moment that stamp took up its permanent residence in my Bible.

You see, I've got this little boy, so clever and cute, but also so very impulsive.

One morning I was sitting at the kitchen table reading my Bible and this little one (about 2 or 3 years old at the time) toddled in. He sat down beside me, quietly, for about 10 whole seconds. Then the fidgeting began. I was reading, he was touching everything on the table and asking 100 rapid fired questions.

He saw a book of stamps.

He picked one off.

He perfectly placed it upside down right in the middle of the page I was reading, you know, in my Bible.

My Bible, Bible.

I got upset.

Why did you do that?” I demanded.

“These pages are thin; it will rip if I try to pull it off!”

“That is going to be stuck there now, for good!”

Of course his little lip came out and he said, “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

I can see that face perfectly even now.

Do you know what that upside down postage stamp happens to say? It says: “Freedom.”

It was a “forever” stamp that reads “Freedom.”

The Forever Stamps were created by the US Postal Service in ’07. They are non-denominational First Class postage, which means that they can be used to mail anything at anytime for the rate that was paid when they were bought. The price can’t go up. Hence the name, Forever Stamp.

I was initially upset by the impulsiveness and immaturity that caused that stamp to be forever stuck right in the middle of my Bible, but that has changed.

I am no longer upset, I am thankful.

He placed a profound reminder right in the middle of God’s words to me.

It is so symbolic of what Christ did for us on the cross. That stamp that reads Freedom in my Bible is upside down, and rightly so. Just like it IS upside down that Jesus should die for me, for you. That the only ONE who is perfect would forfeit His life for all that are imperfect.

Our freedoms are under attack and we should stand up and fight to protect them,  but there is one freedom that is unchanging!

It is unaffected by legislature.

NO amount of persecution that can take this freedom back.

It is bought.

It is done.

It is forever, for those who choose it.

That “forever” stamp is not really going to last FOREVER!   Nothing in this world lasts forever. I don’t think we can even fully comprehend what “forever” is, at least I know I can’t. But there is ONE who is not of this world that does. He is forever. The beginning and end.

Isaiah 40:8 reads, the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 says Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Do we really understand the freedom we have been given? Are we living like free people? Do you (like me) keep putting yourself back into the slavery of Enough. Sweet friend, you are never going to be able to do enough, be enough. Never able to take care of everything and everyone!  So why do we wear ourselves to a frazzle trying?

Our freedom has already been paid for with the blood of Christ. The rate will not go up with the changing times of the world. The price was paid once and is good forever after.

Do we realize what this means? This is real freedom!

Freedom from myself!  

Freedom from my fears of what life will bring.

 Freedom from anxiousness about how my children will grow up. 

Freedom from teaching them EVERYTHING they need to know, which is not even possible.

Freedom from the fear of death.

 Freedom from the broken and suffering world we live in.

                                                          Freedom from doing enough, being enough. 

That little postage stamp reminder, left there by that precious little child, Carter, is so telling of what the Bible imparts: Freedom!

Even though those forever stamps are still valid, if I went back to the post office today and bought another book, they would cost more!  There was a stamp price increase since then. Isn’t’ that the way the world works?!  Always demanding more.   More money, more education, more production, more achievement, more, more, more! Until we feel like we have absolutely NO MORE to give!

Do not let the world lie to you. I am never going to be enough, and neither are you.   We don’t have to be enough!  We just have to keep going to the One who is. He does not raise the price for His freedom. It really is a Forever deal!

My anger has transitioned to thankfulness for Carter’s little token. I almost weep when I see it. The little boy will grow into a man, God willing. He will no longer do whatever impulsive thing that enters his mind. I will cherish the sweet reminder that his small hand has left for his mama.

Every time I open to the book of Proverbs I will thank God for that little hand that was placed in my care. But most importantly, I will treasure the truths that lie in that one, perfectly placed, upside down, postage stamp.

Freedom!

I am free in Christ.

You are free in Christ!

It is upside down and out of place in my human and narrow mind that He should care for me, let alone die for me, but that is exactly the case! We have nothing to fear. There is nothing big enough or scary enough to take that freedom.

Lord, let me today (and everyday) be thankful for the Freedom you bought for me. Remind me, again,  that the battle is already won. All I have to do is stand on Your Word.

Freedom never comes free, except in the case of your love and mercy. Free for me, not for you.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

He’s our Carter!

Thank you for stopping by The Modern Mayflower!  If this post was an encouragement to you, PLEASE SHARE IT!

1 Comment