What My Bunny Taught Me

This coming Monday is July 4th, our Independence Day, a celebration of our American freedoms. The concept of freedom in Christ was revealed to me by a real life object lesson a few years ago.  It all started when my cousin gave us a bunny.

Bunny came complete with a decent sized wire cage, feeding dish and a water dripper.  Bunny was so soft and cute and would even let you hold him without scratching.  The weather was nice so I placed Bunny on the backyard patio to enjoy the fresh breezes.  From my patio, Bunny could see a fenced in backyard with a beautiful waterfall that spilled into a koi pond. 

Hostas, azaleas, and other foliage abounded.  But Bunny was locked in his cage, which greatly bothered me.  Bunnies were not meant to be held in cages.  They were meant to hop and frolic and twitch and nibble.  So I set Bunny free to live in my backyard.  He was so delighted and I was tickled to see how happy he was.  My kitchen window faced the backyard and I loved looking up from the dishes and seeing Bunny hop back and forth.  Bunny would hop up the waterfall to a favored perch for a sip of water.  He would nibble on my plants.  He would race from one side of the yard to the other for no apparent reason.  He would come up to me when I was in the back yard for a gentle pet and whatever treat I had brought him.  I provided Bunny a perfect world and gave him freedom from his cage.  It was a safe place within the boundaries of the 5 foot high, wooden privacy fence.  Bunny was happy.  I was happy.

Then, Bunny found a small opening under the fence-just enough room for Bunny to wiggle out.  Bunny discovered a whole new, bigger freedom outside my boundary.  Bunny was excited about this new world.  One day, I went to the backyard to enjoy my rabbit but I could not find him anywhere.  Soon, I realized what had happened.  Bunny had left the comfort and security of the freedom I had given him for a different kind of freedom--a freedom without boundaries.  But Bunny didn't comprehend that I could not protect him or provide for him or have a relationship with him outside of my boundaries.  He could be hit by a car or eaten by the neighbor's dog. The fence that once kept us close now separated us.

I set out to find and rescue Bunny.  I was successful and returned Bunny back to his backyard home, but he went straight to the area wherein he had escaped and left again.  Again I retrieved him and attempted to secure the hole under the fence, but now that Bunny knew there was a way out under the boundary, he would dig holes to get out.  What I had provided was no longer deemed to be what was best in his mind.  Finally, I caught Bunny one last time, but this time I had to put him back into his cage, which broke my heart.  I could not bear to see Bunny caged up.  I ended up giving Bunny to the neighbor boy. 

God gives me freedom and wants me to enjoy my freedom in Him.  But He has also set boundaries around this freedom.  These boundaries keep me safe and keep me in relationship with Him.  The "outside" world can look so inviting and glamorous--even logical, but to step outside of God's boundaries means I am moving farther away from Him and signifies my belief that God is holding back from me something I will enjoy.  I have dug out under the fence and crossed God's set boundaries for me--more times than I care to admit.  But after a short while I find myself unfulfilled, bound up, lonely, and longing for God's Presence. 

Galatians 5:1 says, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Through Bunny I learned a valuable lesson of my freedom within the boundaries that God has set.  When I convince myself that my way is better than His and leave the safe haven of my freedom within His boundaries, He-in His perfect grace-retrieves me (when I realize I was wrong) and puts me back where I belong, in relationship with Him.  When will my flesh truly accept that His ways are best?

This weekend, reflect on your freedom in Christ.  What does it mean to you?  Do you see the incredible freedoms you have to live, love and enjoy life? All that is required for true happiness is provided within the safe boundaries of a relationship with your Creator and Savior.

The last time I saw Bunny, he was in the neighbor's garage...in his cage.