Freedom (Reposted)

I've been reading the third Thomas Covenant trilogy from author Stephen R. Donaldson. Donaldson's epic fantasies are rich in metaphor and symbol, and as SF Site explains, deal with "themes of estrangement, despair, guilt, and responsibility." Donaldson also writes about call and vocation as well as judgment and redemption.

In the second book of this third trilogy, Fatal Revenant, Donaldson's characters explore our understanding of coercion, sacrifice and true freedom. Speaking about the centuries old act of redemption by Thomas Covenant, a constant presence throughout the many books, the character named Stave says, "The Unbeliever's surrender was his own, coerced by love and his own nature, not by Corruption's might. Sacrificing himself, he did not sacrifice his freedom. Rather his submission was and expression of strength freely wielded. Had he been fettered by his surrender in your world, Corruption's many efforts to lead and compel him would have been needless." (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Fatal Revenant,The Penguin Group, 2007. p. 374).

Is this not the story of our Lord Jesus, who though he was in the form of God did not see his Godhead as something to be grasped, but rather gave himself up to be born as one of us, and to live and die as one of us. And having freely offered himself opens the door of freedom and grace for all? And do we not claim our service to Christ to be perfect freedom (Collect for Peace, BCP p. 99)?

One this July 4th, with it's emphasis on freedom, let us not forget that perfect freedom we have in Christ - a freedom wherein our own power and control are not things to be grasped, but rather a reminder of how we are called to place ourselves in perfect submission to the love of God, which opens the way of freedom not just for us, but for the whole of creation.