David Willis shares with us some thoughts of freedom- not only the kind celebrated here in the USA on the 4th of July, but the kind we can celebrate every day in Christ.
In a moment of quiet yesterday afternoon, I began to reflect upon the long and winding road that has brought me to this point in my life as a Christian. I suppose my knowledge of things-Christian began in my childhood, but without a doubt, the starting point of my life with Christ was when I surrendered my life to Him some 12 years ago. It was at that point in my life when I began to understand the freedom that the Apostle Paul spoke of when he said, “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (Galatians 5:1, from The Message)
Up to the point of my conversion, I had been bearing the burden of a life separate from Christ; encumbered with the yoke of a past characterized by sin. But, in an instant, Christ set me free from the guilt and shame that plagued my heart. Some time later, I heard a song by contemporary Christian artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, which gave voice to the feelings that now dwelled in my innermost being. The title of the song is “Free”, and the refrain says, “I’m free…I have been forgiven. God’s love has taken off my chains and given me these wings. And I’m free…and the freedom I’ve been given is something that not even death can take away from me…”
As this week presses on toward the upcoming celebration of Independence Day this Friday, please take time to remember the great sacrifices that were made by women and men over these many years, which have afforded us the freedom and liberty that we hold so dear here in the United States. It is a gift that has come at the expense of many selfless individuals who have served, fought, bled and died in order to preserve for us a way of life that is unparalleled in the history of our world.
As we remember this freedom, and give God thanks for it, let us also pause to remember the freedom that is ours through the sacrifice of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. He died in our place, to pay a price that we could never afford, in order to give us a freedom we could never earn. While we continue the fight to preserve our domestic freedom, the spiritual freedom we know through Christ is something that, “…not even death can take away.”
May God richly bless you as you seek His will for your life.
Freedom from sin is a precious gift we are offered through God’s grace. As a believer, I ask you to think about what this means to you, and to thank God for His mercy. If you are wondering what it all means to be free from the bondage of sin, please take a look at this information about what it means to become a Christian. And please share your decision with me– I’d love to hear from you.