The Shadow and Substance of Your Purpose Is Freedom of Worship
- Jack Selcher
- Sep 22
- 2 min read
When I was growing up, my two favorite days were Christmas and the last day of school. Summer vacation temporarily relieved the pressure I put on myself to get good grades. It released me from the grind of studying for four hours each evening.
I did not prop up my feet and sip lemonade in June, July, and August. For three summers, I worked 56 hours a week at an orchard, including on July 3, 1966, the 107-degree hottest day on record in my community.
It was demanding work, but I did not have to study until bedtime when I got home.
I felt the same relief after finishing my summer Greek class at the seminary. For six weeks, I studied Greek all day, every day. I dreamed about it at night.
After my final exam, my joy was like one whose torture had finally ceased. Whose prison door swung open.
Freedom is delicious. But it is not an end in itself. Jesus sets believers free for a purpose.
We see a shadow of that purpose in Exodus 9:1 (NIV). Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”
God delivered us to worship Him. He delivered us from the captivity of the tar pit of believing lies about God, us, the world, and others.
Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). Truth opened the gloomy prison cell that confined us. We were spiritually dead captives in Satan’s dominion of darkness.
Jesus came “to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:7 NIV). He promised, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 NIV).
As Jesus’ followers, we “put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12 NIV). In the dominion of darkness, we could not worship God.
We were deaf, dumb, blind, and paralyzed concerning God’s purpose for our lives. Now all that has changed.
In the kingdom of light, worshipping God is our 24/7 assignment. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).
Do you know what the shadow and substance of our purpose are? God set us free to declare His praises. Not just in church worship services. In all of life. What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,671 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,636 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.
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