What would it be like to be truly free? I suppose it depends on who's asking the question. Is it to be free from tyranny, prison, laws, restrictions, demands, reality, parents, obligations, poverty, age, limitations or death? Here's my take.

When I turned 16, I got my spectacular driver's license and discovered freedom. It was sitting in my folks' car, turning the key to on and feeling that amazing machine's power. I rolled down the window so I could smell the soft summer mix of popcorn as I passed the downtown movie theatre and mown grass over by Ritter Park. I was master of Fourth Avenue in Huntington, West Virginia. Wow! I parked in front of the Planters Peanut Shop, bought a small bag of the chocolate nuts and was halfway home before realizing I'd left the car and was walking. Sixteen year-old boys have a limited ability of focus.

As I grew older, I began to realize that complete freedom is not certain, up for debate and limited.

If I may loosely quote Abraham Joshua Heschel, my favorite philosopher theologian, "It is dangerous to take human freedom for granted." Someone, whose name I can't remember, said, "You are already free. You just don't know it." I want to add my thoughts, "Count to 10 before you decide!"

Let's get biblical. In Joshua 24, where the remnants of the Exodus are retold the story of their deliverance, are asked the great question, "Are you and your families going to serve the gods of Egypt and those gods of the Amorites or are you and your families going to serve the Lord?"

Their answer, "We will worship and serve the Lord!" Joshua's reply, "I don't think so. This Lord God is holy and jealous. If you choose Him and then break your promise, He will destroy you; Do you understand?" The people respond, "We understand. We choose the Lord God!"

No one is forcing those ancient Israelites to do anything more than choosing between two options. That is true freedom! True freedom is to choose this option and its rules and regulations as well as rewards and punishments, or to choose that option and its rules and regulations as well as rewards and punishments. We are free to not choose. That's still a choice, so don't fuss at me.

I was trained to be a Calvinist, which meant I was taught about God's irresistible grace. I had a lot of trouble with my professors because I said, "I don't accept that because too many people are resisters." Calvin and I didn't get along very well. I also did not believe that God drug anybody kicking and screaming to church but gave the world freedom of choice. That makes me a somewhat Pelagian thinker. If God gives us freedom of choice – which I believe He does – then we are absolutely free to choose evil and in so doing choose His punishment.

Paul warns us in Galatians 5, "For freedom Christ has set us free. Make the right choice!"

When I put that driver's license in my wallet and sat alone in that car, I held the world in my hands, with two choices. I could drive that car responsibly, following the rule of the road, being courteous, careful and bringing it back to dad in one piece, or I could drive that car as fast as I could, ignoring stop signs, pedestrians, small animals, other vehicles and trees. My first option has allowed me to operate an automobile for the past 74 years without fear of the authorities. Had I chosen option two, most likely I would have lost the right to drive, spent some time in jail and paid a very large chunk of money to lawyers. The facts are these: either choice has its rules. It all depends on the ultimate choice.

When I close my eyes tonight for a long peaceful sleep – that's if Charliedog doesn't pull my blanket off or if I don't have that dream about losing my car in a strange town – I'll wake up tomorrow knowing I made the right choices. At least I tried.

Thanks, God!