Don’t you love the word FREE? I know I do! We love FREE stuff; free wifi, free refills, even free samples…but we all know that in life nothing is really free. Everything that is given away as free cost someone something. Today we are celebrating Independence Day in the United States and this week actually marks the 238th year since the birth of the USA and the 147th year since the birth of Canada. During these times of celebrating we often think of the many freedoms we enjoy in our countries. Freedoms, which though they are free for us, have cost others everything.
One of the biggest freedoms we receive, which others have paid dearly for, is the freedom of religion. Freedom of religion seems to be getting contested and encroached upon in our countries lately. There are some who would even seek to change the language of the conversation to be about a “freedom to worship” in order to avoid the implications that come when we are given freedom to practice what we believe at all times. This last week also marked a couple of significant victories for the freedom of religion and for the freedom of speech in the U.S.
As Christians we have even greater reasons to celebrate though, we have a freedom that can never be taken away. It is a freedom that cost us nothing yet cost Jesus everything. This is a freedom that the world can never take away! In Christ God has given us freedom from sin and shame, freedom to live, freedom to know God, freedom to worship Him with everything that we are and anywhere we are! This is a freedom that no one can take away from us because it is an inner freedom! It’s a freedom that God has commissioned us to take into all the world. So, while we celebrate the many freedoms that we have this week I want to encourage you to:
1. Walk in the freedom that God has given you. Don’t be bound by religious laws or by sinful practices. Paul told the Galatian church: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1) Don’t fall into Legalism or License but instead live a life of Liberty. Truly free to love others as God has loved you.
2. Walk in the freedoms that you have in your country. What’s the point of having freedoms of religion, freedom to gather, and freedom of speech if we’re not using them? Let’s be wise about we do, but let’s not live in fear or timidity but instead let’s live lives of love and power so that the world can know the same freedoms that we enjoy in Christ.
3. Pray for freedom around the world. The lack of freedom of religion has made international news the last few months with the case of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim who was sentenced to death and later released, ultimately because of the lack of religious freedom in her country. Here in the U.S. and Canada we may find it hard to imagine such a significant lack of freedoms, let’s pray for freedom for the whole world.
We have been given many freedoms in our countries. Let’s make sure we’re using them to bring the good news of the ultimate freedom that can be found in Christ to those around us!
