But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
The Greek word for “looks intently” is parakyptō. Strong’s Concordance says that the word suggests a person is stooping or bending over to look into something. I was trying to think of an analogy for this kind of looking and I finally found one. Have you ever found yourself gazing into the refrigerator looking for something to eat?
My wife and I both like to cook, but we have very different approaches to how we go about cooking. She will plan a meal menu days or weeks before it is needed. Everything is in place when she starts to cook. Nothing is left to chance. I am content to work with whatever happens to be in the house when I get hungry. Mine is more of an impromptu approach to cooking.
The first thing I do when I am pondering what to make for dinner is parakyptō the refrigerator. I open the door and gaze into the depths of the frosty chamber. I might bend over to one side to look under a shelf or around something big to see what is behind it. My eyes look everywhere in the fridge in search of something to inspire a meal. If you picture me peering into the fridge, I think you have a good idea of what it means to parakyptō.
What comes next is where the magic happens whether one is looking into the fridge or the perfect law that gives freedom. Looking into the fridge I a am seeking something that I can use to make a meal with. Looking into the law that gives freedom I am seeking something to make a life with.
Application: Gaze into God’s perfect law that gives freedom. Claim what you find there for your own. Take it with you and hold it close. Do not forget what you have found. Instead, live it.
Food for Thought: What is the ”perfect law that gives freedom?”
The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 comes to mind, which ironically we are told with such there is no law. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Jesus says we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourself, which I believe gets to the heart of freedom.
Good points JEC. A law that gives freedom is one that is liberating as opposed to one that sees you end up in prison. I. Like to think of the law of gravity and jumping out of an airplane. If I jump out of an airplane with a parachute, then I can enjoy the law of gravity with freedom. If I don’t have a parachute it will not be freeing, nor will it end well. When we persevere by doing Gods word it is not confining or a joy kill. It is liberating and allows us to enjoy life without going splat.
He looks into the perfect law AND continues doing it…putting God’s word into action gives us freedom
👍🏻