Thank God for True Freedom

“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.”  Gal 5:1 NIV

Everyone wants to be free.  The oppressed want to be free from their oppressors.  Employees what freedom from unfair employers. Employers what freedom from unfair employees.  Jesus followers don’t have to want freedom – we have already been set free!

This morning for this verse set me to pondering the question “What does it really mean to be free?”.

A woman was once married to a man she did not love.  He made her get up every morning at five, cook his breakfast, serve it at six o’clock sharp, and then wait on him hand and foot.  He was so exacting that her life was a miserable one of  trying to satisfy his his every wish. He died and eventually she married again.  This marriage was to a man she truly loved.  One day she was cleaning out some old papers from a desk and came across one of the many lists of strict rules her first husband had given her.  Sitting down, she began to read them.  Gradually it dawned on her that the list of things she hated doing for her first husband she was still doing  for her new husband.  But she no longer hated doing them because she was no longer doing it out of fear of  her husband but instead out of her love for him.

She had been set free.  Jesus followers have been saved and the fear of the “letter of the law” has been nullified.  In its place is the peace and power of freedom which generates within our hearts a burning love for Jesus.  We  joyfully serve Him by serving others. We have true freedom.

To be truly set free is to have your orientation changed from “What do I have to do?” to “Really, I get to do that!”   The freedom that Jesus gives to His followers is not so much freedom “from” as it is freedom “to” … Freedom to be ourselves … Freedom to serve others … Freedom to be like Jesus … Feedom to live life without the fear of death … Freedom to truly live!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!