The Price of Freedom

Hi friends, here's an interesting reading from author and theologian Elton Trueblood on discipline. This was a good reminder for me on my own faith journey and perhaps it will be for you as well. Jon

"When we begin to ask what the conditions of inner renewal are, we receive essentially the same answers from nearly all of those whom we have most reason to respect. One major answer is the emphasis upon discipline. In the conduct of one's own life it is soon obvious, as many have learned the hard way, that empty freedom is a snare and a delusion. In following what comes naturally or easily, life simply ends in confusion, and in consequent disaster. Without the discipline of time, we spoil the next day the night before, and without the discipline of prayer, we are likely to end by having practically no experience of the divine-human encounter. However compassionate we may be with others, we dare not be soft or indulgent with ourselves. Excellence comes at a price, and one of the major prices is that of inner control.

We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom, to the effect that we are most free when we are bound. But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding. the one who would like to be an athlete, but who is unwilling to discipline his body by regular exercise and by abstinence, is not free to excel on the field or the track. His failure to train rigorously and to live abstemiously denies him the freedom to go over the bar at the desired height, or to run with the desired speed and endurance. With one concerted voice the giants of the devotional life apply the same principle to the whole of life with the dictum: Discipline is the price of freedom."

Elton Trueblood

A Bit of History

When I was in my teens, I wrote a song called HEAR THE MUSIC.

'Well I hear it from the left, and I hear it from the right

Sometimes I hear it in stereo, sometimes it's outta site

And I really don't know why, but without it I just can't get by

When I HEAR THE MUSIC I'm gonna praise the Lord

And I'll lift my hands to the sky'

It had a few verses, and a chorus...a bridge, a solo...all the components of a pop/rock song, and while I am convinced it would not have won any songwriting awards for me, surprisingly almost 10 years later when HEAR THE MUSIC night started, I realized that song was a seed. It was a seed for the name – yes, but also a seed for the 'sprit' of the event. To lift our hands to the sky – to reach out to Jesus – to praise God. That's really the whole point. In John 12:32 Jesus talks about being lifted up from the earth and that when that happens He will draw us to himself. There's a lot to unpack there – we lifted Him up in crucifixion, yes. But because of that, ultimately his resurrection has brought us new life – eternal life. And we can also lift Him up in praise through music. And that also fills us with life, and glorifies Him at the same time! I hadn't thought about it in a long while, but the 3rd line of that verse has had great meaning for me too. 'I really don't know why, but without it I just can't get by'. For me it's a very simple way of saying 'music saved my life'. More times than I can count, God has met me and changed me through a song or a musical moment. The Aldous Huxley quote makes so much sense to me...'After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is MUSIC'.

Jon Buller

Transformed

Hi everyone,

I recently read in my bible the following from 2 Corinthians 3: 17. 'Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.'

I have been involved for quite some time with a music event called Hear the Music Night. Those words crystallized for me what Hear the Music night is really about as it relates to our 'worship experience'. I believe that God is always with us, but that He wants to reveal Himself more to us and that is one big reason why we 'worship' together. When we do that (at HTM and everywhere else!) we are saying to God, 'open our eyes to who You are', and 'help us to experience You'. Before you know it we are caught up in the presence of God through His Holy Spirit, and altogether we experience a very special spiritual freedom. This freedom shows itself in different ways - through the joy that we feel when we're there, our 'playing at the feet of God' while we're jumping around or just enjoying the experience of music and praise. It also shows itself in what is changing inside of us as we invite God into our lives again through confession, repentance and praise.

And so, we reflect God's glory to each other, and we become more like Him. All because we have simply done what we were created to do - WORSHIP GOD.

Jon Buller