No longer Slaves
by Bethel Music
“You unravel me with a melody
You surround me with a song
Of deliverance from my enemies
‘Til all my fears are gone”
These lyrics became so real to me this month.
“I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God”
It actually has taken two very different communities to help me realize what these lines actually mean. The first was our ministry for the month, Inagne Yami, a children’s village outside of Durban, South Africa.
“From my mother’s womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again
Into your family
Your blood flows through my veins”
These lines give me chills when I think about the children we lived with this month. These children who were literally rescued and given a family. These children who are given a mother, siblings, and a home for the rest of their life. These children who were given a second chance.
“I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God”
I don’t know much about each child’s life before being brought here, but from the small bits of stories I’ve heard, I can only imagine their lives before the village.
“I am surrounded
By the arms of the father
I am surrounded
By songs of deliverance”
One of my favorite days this month were Sunday mornings at the village church. Our team, the moms, and the children would walk up the hill to the 11 am church service. Every Sunday, the children take their place right in front of the stage. They jump, dance, and sing along to every song during worship.
This past Sunday, I could feel my throat warm up and my eyes hold tears as I watched these children dance.
I thought about how many times I played tag or hide-and-seek with them this month. I thought about how I helped them with their school work. I thought about how many warm hugs I was given or how many times my hair was played with.
I thanked God for their future. They had a family. They would not go hungry. They would have a bed to sleep in every night. They would grow up with eachother. They would to be loved. They would know God’s love.
They had been rescued. They were safe. They were dancing in that freedom.
“We’ve been liberated
From our bondage
We’re the sons and the daughters
Let us sing our freedom”
The beauty of their stories helped me understand the beauty of being rescued by Christ. We come out of hopeless situations, chosen by God, to be restored.
These children are living out a story of restoration. Their lives have been forever changed. I can’t help but think of Jesus when I see them. They are dancing in that freedom.
It’s made me wonder what would happen if I chose to always dance in that freedom. How would that look? Who would I be?
“You split the sea
So I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love
You rescued me
And I could stand and sing
I am a child of God…”
The second community that helped me realize what this song really means is my world race team. My six teammates have been on my heart this month. We live life together in every possible way. We do ministry together, shop for food, cook meals, live in very small space, grow, play and pray together. Even when we don’t want it, there is no escaping the 24/7 community.
.By the halfway point of the world race, It’s normal to be exhausted of this extreme form of community. I didn’t want my team to start checking out. I didn’t want them to be comfortable with surface-level relationships. That’s when tensions start. That’s when people stop showing grace-filled love toward one another. That’s when we stop pushing each other toward growth. That’s when we hinder our personal growth.
I think the process of restoration is beautiful, but it’s not always easy. I think many times it’s easy to walk in our own comfortable story instead of a radical story of restoration.
God calls us out of ourselves and into Him. The closer we get to God, the more He takes away. We are exposed and vulnerable. But when we are ok with that, we dance in freedom and invite others to join.
This month, I realized my team needed to dance together.
“Yes, I am
I am a child of God”
The children of Ingane Yami have forever changed my life. I saw God’s love for us through their stories. I felt the beauty of His freedom; I understand it better.
They’ve given me a vision of what happens when you walk in the freedom of Christ. Even more, what could happen when everyone chooses to walk in that freedom.
“I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God”
