Freedom

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1

I'm heading home tomorrow to spend the 4th of July holiday with family and friends. There will be food, there will be fun, there will be people I haven't seen in quite a while. We gather to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Mostly we gather because our jobs give us a day off. Our celebration of freedom occurs in excess sometimes and people get hurt. Freedom does not give us permission to do what we want, when we want. Freedom is not a license, it is a privilege.

Freedom really isn't free. People lose their lives in the quest for personal and national freedom. Jesus died for my freedom. For several years, I lived with knowledge of Jesus but not a passionate love for Him. The price he paid on the cross didn't matter much to me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Since I knew about Jesus I could come to Him anytime I wanted and confess my sin and all would be okay. I, in my eyes, was not worth the price He paid on the cross. I didn't respect the gift of grace or the Giver. Needless to say, my life was a wreck.

Now I've been wrecked. I am passionately in love with Jesus. He is my "one thing" desire. I want nothing more than to know Him and make Him known. He guides me, graces me, grants me wisdom, greets me in the morning and sings me a lullaby at night. In Him I find everything I need. I am truly free. And for that reason I celebrate.