It Feels Like Freedom

Feels Like Freedom

Feels Like Freedom

I have my Bible, my journal and a bottle of water. I step into the pitch-black sanctuary and stand still for a few seconds waiting for my eyes to adjust. I am alone in the spacious room and as the door closes quietly behind me, I take a deep breath and let my shoulders fall and relax.

Sometimes I find a seat near the back. Other times I walk through the darkness and sit cross-legged on the floor right in front of the church platform. The darkness envelopes me and I tell myself to leave all concerns and worries outside. I remind myself that this is my special moment to be alone with my God and not to clutter it up with problems, at least not just yet.

After a while my eyes pop open as I hear someone enter the church sanctuary and begin to quietly set up music gear on the platform. My friend, the worship leader notices my presence and we silently nod a greeting to each other. I open my journal in the soft light and talk to God a bit with scribbles on a page.

Before long I am swept away with gentle music and beautiful words that perfectly express what is happening in my heart and mind.

“You surround me… You breathe out and I breathe in, you surround me and it feels like freedom… It feels like liberty. Too wonderful for me… You surround me… Surrounded by your glory, surrounded by your love… Clothed in your grace… I love when you surround me… In you I breathe, in you I move, in you I have my being… I breathe you in and I breathe in you. You take me places I’ve never been before… Feels like freedom, feels like liberty. I love when you surround me… I am surrounded by the sound of your music… I am surrounded by your voice, by the beat of your heart. Your music carries me… I am overwhelmed by your glory.*”(Sacred Space Sessions Vol. 2)
-Bob Book

Soft lights around the perimeter begin to light the auditorium. I stand and walk in a slow rhythm with the music. I am singing the words to the songs directly to God. To my Father. To my Friend and King. I feel surrounded by His love. Surrounded by the beat of His heart.

Others have entered into the worship by now, but it feels like an intimate moment between my God and me. These are my favorite moments. When I am enveloped in His love and it seems that nothing is impossible. Nothing is too big or too difficult for God. I am breathing Him in and basking in His love.

Today I am sitting in my home looking out the window at another rainy day. The music from one of my favorite CDs has taken me on this flashback trip. Back in time, to a season when I worked at a church and slipping into an empty sanctuary was a special treat. Now I am sneaking back into the past and pulling the experience into my present. The music is flowing around me and I am overwhelmed once again with the beautiful freedom of being surrounded by such a great love.

In Psalm 139:5, David is singing or praying to God. “You hem me in behind and before…Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”

I love the idea that being surrounded by God feels like freedom. Being hemmed in by God before and behind can feel like liberty because of love. Everything comes back to love doesn’t it?

A few verses later David says, “How precious are your thoughts about me O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand.”

The rain is falling outside. My coffee cup is full and my heart is full. To be surrounded by the love of God is more than enough for me today. It feels like freedom.
*Music/Lyrics by Bob Book – Brilliant Book House and Bob Book Music

6 Responses to It Feels Like Freedom
  1. Yolanda DeLoach
    March 12, 2015 | 8:32 am

    Hi Susie, what a beautiful description of time with God. I, too, love a quiet sanctuary.

    • Susie Klein
      March 12, 2015 | 8:54 am

      Thanks for commenting Yolanda. There is nothing quite like it, is there? Well, maybe an empty beach, a walk in the redwoods or a pretty backyard. Ha!

  2. Cecelia Lester
    March 12, 2015 | 5:20 pm

    Susie: It is so nice to have those kinds of memories. They carry us through the tough times. We need to have those intimate times with God in order to grow in Him.

    • susie Klein
      March 12, 2015 | 8:55 pm

      Yes Cecelia, these memories come back to me through music all the time. Sometimes I even turn off a CD because of the memories that I don’t feel ready for. But the alone worship times in that sanctuary are good ones.

  3. Kimberly David
    March 16, 2015 | 1:27 pm

    “To be surrounded by the love of God is more than enough for me today.” What a beautiful thought. In His love I am safe, I am secure, I am free. Your words reminded me of my favorite Psalm, Psalm 91. Verse one says “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” As paradoxical as it sounds, living in His shadow, I am free to be all I can be. Just as you mentioned, when we are surrounded by Him, we are truly free!

    • Susie Klein
      March 21, 2015 | 4:18 pm

      Kimberly, thanks for this comment and I agree that Psalm 91 is a great addition to this discussion.