by Rev Douglas Brauner

There is Freedom in Limitations

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

It’s not in the mainstream of today’s world to embrace limitations. In fact, a popular movie was entitled, Limitless. We tell people that they can be whatever they want to be. The sky is the limit.

But is this true? Is the sky the limit? Can we do whatever we want to do? Can anyone be a brain surgeon, a brick layer, or the proverbial rocket scientist? I have often told people that you would not want me to design a bridge. I don’t have the skills, nor the desire, to be an engineer.

“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” 
Romans 12:6a New Living Translation

One of my goals for 2020 was to embrace my limitations and discover immense freedom within those limitations. On January 1, I started a photography project that I named, 1 camera, 1 lens, 1 roll, 1 block. I used one camera with the same lens loaded each time with the same film type to take a picture of one block of Colorado Springs. In other words, I put limits on my myself.

However, I discovered a great deal of freedom when I embraced my limitations. I was free to compose my shots. I didn’t limited myself on how I developed the pictures. There were no storytelling limitations.

Our gender limits us. The place where we live limits us. Even as Paul says, God limits us with our gifts. As we embrace these limitations, God shows us the immense freedom we have in him.

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” 
Galatians 5:1 New Living Translation

Okay, so I’m taking some liberty with this text, but we have been set free by Christ. God’s grace is limitless in the One who died and rose for us. Grace touches all of our lives. May we discover today the beauty of God’s grace and the freedom it gives us in our limitations.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado