One morning I walked out to the dog pen and opened the gate. Willy came out his box and through the gate and ran around exploring in the yard and doing his business. Waylon never came out. Willy made his rounds and went back in. Later, Waylon decided to come out of his box. Apparently, he was not aware the gate was open. He longingly looked toward the house through the fence of the dog yard. It appeared that he wanted out, but he stayed in the corner of the pen forlornly gazing in the direction of the house. Barb went to the back door and hollered, telling him the gate was open and to come on out. He did not seem to understand for a little bit then finally moved around in the pen and discovered he could get out and run around the yard (1.65 acres). Then, both Waylon and Willy took their normal walk around the place and I went out and gave them their breakfast, and I closed the gate for them to stay in their pen. I will let them out again later, but on the cold mornings I lock them back in their pen because little sentry Willy thinks he has to sit at the back door of the house shivering, waiting for me to come out. Waylon will go back to the warm box in their house in the dog pen. But Willy – I look out the window at him and just watch him shiver. I will open the door and tell him to go get in his house, but he will just sit there waiting for me to come out. So, I lock them up until it warms up, then if I’m going to be around the house, I will turn them out. They don’t run off. They usually stay on the property.
The good news of Jesus is that the gate is open! Jesus paid the price and paved the way for us to come out of spiritual confinement and be free to run the yard. He takes our sins and guilt away so we can live with no legal requirements and condemnation hanging over our heads. He fills us with his Spirit as we yield our life to him. By this we are empowered and enabled to joyfully carry out his plans and desires to not only set us free, but also become an instrument to help others go free. There is great joy and pleasure in seeing others grow and discover the gate is also open for them. It is greatly rewarding to see people discover their sins are taken away by the blood of Jesus, and they can have a new life in the life of the Lord Jesus within them and by the power of the Holy Spirit upon them. Whatever might be confining you, know this, the gate is open and there is freedom by a true and complete committal of your life to the Lord.