Freedom Comes With Choices

“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 NIV

Every Fourth of July Americans celebrate the birthday of their country. This hoop-la includes family picnics, cookouts, patriotic concerts and extravagant fireworks! Many Americans pause and offer God their prayers of thanksgiving for all the many freedoms we enjoy in this country.

Some people around the world live in countries where freedom is not the norm and as Americans we must be aware that our precious freedoms can be lost when we least expect it to happen. As believers we must also pray for those who are not free to do many of the things that we enjoy. Americans must not take our freedom for granted and assume that the freedom we love will always remain in place.

No matter what freedoms you enjoy or if you are someone whose freedoms are few, it is important to know that every person who has ever been born has been born into slavery. It may not be political slavery but it is the slavery of sin that plagues every man, woman, and child. But the good news is, God sent his Son, Jesus  to this earth and the reason he came was to set each of us free from the slavery of sin.

Creation is amazing! I for one do not believe this world “banged” itself into existence. There is far too much detail, beauty, consistency, and order in nature for it just to have happened. I would expect that an explosion of “creation magnitude” would leave behind millions of miles of ghastly piles of rubbish, ashes and chaos, not the breathtaking beauty of God’s creation that we witness everyday. Never in a billion years could I expect to create this amazing world we live in. I could not hang the sun, moon and stars in the sky, let alone expect them to stay there! Only a God of wonder, imagination and miraculous power could speak into existence this universe in six amazing days! Created things exist, work efficiently, reproduce, and remain in place. I myself am amazed as I witness this divine mystery of creation. I don’t have to understand how it happened or how it works, I just believe it happened and I for one immensely enjoy the results. Father, I thank you and praise you for all of your marvelous works.

Even with creation being as amazing as it is, creation is still less than perfect. However, creation was designed to be perfect and it was perfect for a time. But man trashed the world by his disobedience to the Creator of all created things. The consequence for humanity’s sin of disobedience is that there are now weeds to pull, animals that attack, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, sand storms, drought, sickness, and death. We have wars to fight and mouths to feed. We no longer live in a perfect world. However, we do live in a fallen world. The result of sin brings each of us heartache, pain, and struggle for survival.

It makes me smile to know that the God of the universe, in spite of our sin, still wants humanity to enjoy his world. Tainted as this world is he still has left in place majestic mountains, gorgeous waterfalls, beautiful beaches, the Painted Desert, the oceans, the peaceful waters of lakes and rivers, rainbows, colorful birds, flowers, butterflies, sunrises, and sunsets to enjoy. I marvel at the star studded sky, and my heart skips a beat when I see a full moon against the black velvet sky! We do not live in a dull, monotonous sepia or black and white world. No, God in his love left us a world that explodes with magnificent color. Only a God of love and mercy would do that for those who have disobeyed his commands and rejected his love. He does this not because we deserve this beauty but because he loves us. He uses all of his creation as a tool to draw our spirit to his. God goes to great means to free us from our sin. Nature speaks clearly of God’s love. When we look at all God created we are left without excuse. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 NIV

It was God’s mercy and love that caused God himself to come to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not just a prophet, he was the Son of God, who came to earth and took on the form of a man. It is a mystery. It is a concept that is impossible for mankind to completely understand how this could happen. But things that are impossible for us to accomplish are a simple task for the creator of this amazing universe.

Jesus came to this earth with a purpose. That purpose was to live and then die. His reason for coming into this world as the God-Man was to become the sacrifice to appease the sin that had been committed in the beginning of creation and passed on to all humanity. You see, we are all born with sinful hearts. We are all slaves to sin. Jesus was born to die and free us from that sin. This remedy for our own personal sin is available to everyone! Jesus Christ bought our freedom! Simple belief in that truth is the key to our personal freedom. Jesus Christ came to set us free. We will never own this freedom unless we choose to believe this truth.

In this life men may take us captive and steel the freedoms we enjoy in this life. But God has freed our spirit and that freedom is safe for all eternity! That freedom comes with choices. We can choose daily to enjoy additional freedoms of grace. We are free to choose to love God, and we are always free to worship God in our mind and our innermost being. We are free to choose to love those who offend us. We are free to choose to forgive. We are free to choose to dance for joy. We are free to choose God’s way over the world’s ways. We are free to choose to trust and obey God. When we choose Jesus Christ as our personal Savior we are free indeed! Even in the most difficult circumstances, no one can snatch away the freedom that is ours when we accept and belong to Christ Jesus.

Our earthly freedoms are wonderful but the freedom that we have because of Jesus Christ is beyond wonderful!! I hope you have that freedom in your life this day. If not, take a chance, shoot up a prayer to the God of creation and ask him to make his existence known to you. Tell him you want to be free from the curse of sin. Trust Jesus to free you! Believe on the name of Jesus and you will be saved. “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 NIV  That yoke of slavery is sin.

Questions:

1. Have you experienced the freedom that is found by believing in Jesus Christ?

2. Do you understand that accepting the freedom that is found only in Jesus Christ is the only thing that will give you eternal life in heaven?

3. Do you rejoice in the fact that the freedom we experience in Jesus Christ can never be taken away?

Note:

See the right column of this page to read, “How Can I Know If I’m A Christian?”

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I praise you for the freedom that can be mine through your sacrifice. Open my eyes so that I can understand this marvelous plan for my freedom. I want to choose this freedom that no one can take away. Jesus, help me to remember that you purchased this freedom for me and the price tag was enormous! What an amazing display of your extravagant love! How glorious was your resurrection! Today I choose to take a chance. I choose you, Jesus. I choose this extravagant free gift of freedom!

In your name I pray. Amen