Freedom
Today is Independence Day. Many of you will celebrate with pool parties, cookouts, and fireworks. I hope you will pause to give thanks to God that we live in a country where we are free to worship God, free to choose where we live, free to choose the type of work we will do, etc, etc. What a gift!
Freedom is one of the central themes of the gospel. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
In Christ we are free from the bondage of guilt, free from our past mistakes, free from our failures, free from legalism, free from having to earn God’s love.
Again, this freedom from is a tremendous blessing. However, Paul tells us, most importantly, we have the freedom to…. We are free to love and to serve other people. A natural expression of our freedom should be love.
Let us pray: You have blessed us so richly, Lord. We live in a time and place of great abundance, and great freedom. Yet we still see the need. Remind us that we are blessed to be a blessing. Show us everyday ways in which we can use our freedom and our resources to bless others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
