Yesterday, Jan came into the living room to take a break from editing the final draft of her new book of blessings. She said, “Garris, I just heard the words, “‘Olly, Olly, Oxen free!’ I think the Lord is saying something. ” We both smiled remembering the times as children when that phrase was spoken during games. We wondered what the phrase actually meant.
Olly, Olly, Oxen Free is used in children’s games like Hide and Seek to let kids know they can safely come out into the open from a place of hiding without losing the game and being tagged, “It”. The wording evolved from an earlier phrase meaning, “All Clear!”
Some of you reading this might be living in relational circles that do not give you the opportunity to live in freedom. The group and the authority structures within the group control and demean individual expression. The freedom God is offering to you is only possible if you are willing enough to step out of bondage and into a place where you and what you think is no longer hidden. God has given you the "All Clear!" signal. He is inviting you to a life where relationships are honest, open and above board. The lack of these critical elements in your life has fed your frustration. You now stand at a critical juncture hesitating because you have seen what happens to those who buck the system by simply expressing an opinion with honor and truthfulness.
I believe Jan heard the words from a childhood game as a prophetic metaphor. You no longer have to live in hiding in a marriage, a friendship, at a job or within the slavish demands of a controlling group. You don’t have to worry about being tagged the “It” person. God wants the real you to emerge from hiding. The choice now rests with you to be brave enough to take this step and adjust the trajectory of your destiny. The Lord has made a way for you to come out from a place of bondage and step into an open space where freedom and joy await your revealing.
No comments:
Post a Comment