Richard Maisenbacher
Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained (para), but happy is he who keeps the law.” Para (unrestrained in the Hebrew) means to let go, to loose, unruly, unbridled, undisciplined, or in another form it means to act as a leader. In other words, do what he wants to do like a pharaoh.
When we no longer think we see God move in our life we may become our own god or leader. We do not seek to please Him. We find things to please ourselves. My freedom becomes bondage to myself. I don’t fail because I don’t hear from Him. I have the Bible and other prophetic words that guide me. I just don’t see Him working the way I think He should if He really loves me. Rather than look to Him I end up taking care of my own needs. It can also become a major distraction to help someone else meet their needs.
In my prayer time several years ago, I heard the Lord say, “Don’t do things to please me…” Then there was a long pause and I thought to myself: really?! Then He said, “Find out what pleases Me and do those things.” I realized He was helping me get rid of any performance motivation. I obviously had been doing some things that I thought would make Him happy so He would bless me.
I then realized that He was pleased when I was intimate, in my covenant relationship with Him, and followed the things He though was important… like His written Word in my life. His purposes became my priority. Serving others was important.
Solomon tells us that happiness is found in keeping Torah. Happiness in not achieved by living unrestrained. Pharaoh was not happy. He was free to do what he wanted, but happiness was not the result. Being blessed or happy is a result of walking in an intimate covenant relationship of hearing and seeing what God wants us to do.
Freedom and repentance go hand in hand. Both are important. Any person who thinks they are free but refuses to repent of harmful choices of the past is not free. However, the past can be redeemed by a new future.
We have the freedom of choice to be a volunteer servant of God. The biblical model is not based on my freedom as an individual. Freedom is not the goal. It is to be a servant to a benevolent covenant master: Shema – Hear and Obey.
I believe we are in an era where God is encouraging believers and unbelievers to seek an intimate relationship with Him. There is major healing coming… not just physical healing but healing from wounds caused by life. He is highlighting loving Him in prayer and releasing His love to others. Many will sense this time of healing and either rededicate their lives or they will understand for the first time what it is like to really believe and express His love to others.
In His Covenant Love,
