Freedom

Today is a day to celebrate freedom. Of course, we celebrate freedom in the U.S. on Independence Day because of the brave men and women who have sacrificed to give us that freedom, from the American Revolution and onward. I am very grateful to be living in a country in which I am free.

However, when I think of freedom, I don't think of America first...I think of Christ. The truth is that real freedom is found in Christ. Freedom from the tyranny of sin. No government or army can free us from the bondage sin has over our lives. Sin tells us that we're worthless, that we have to fit into the crowd, that we have to do something, dress like someone, or think something to be accepted. Sin tells us that we'll never change, that we're ugly, and that no one really loves us for who we are. Sin lies to us and tells us that nothing really comes free.

Then Jesus swoops in with his radical, totally 100% free gift of salvation. You don't have to earn it, look a certain way to get it, or think a certain way to deserve it. You get it if you want it. It's FREE. And, when we receive it, we become really free.

This is the part that I think is hardest for people to grasp. Conventional wisdom says, "How can I be free if now I'm not supposed to do all these things that I liked doing or were fun or felt good." "All Christianity is is a list of rules." That couldn't be farther from the truth. The truth is that when we are in Christ, we are really free to be who we were created to be. You don't have to fit in anymore to whatever mold the world has for you. You don't have to dress a certain way or have a certain income. You are immediately accepted. God's love frees us from all the other things that we thought made us happy. Those things don't last - Jesus does.

Now, that can seem a little crazy. But, have you ever seen other countries that the U.S. tries to help start democracy and seen them slip back into tyranny and dictatorship and thought to yourself, "Those people just don't know how to handle freedom." And they don't. They don't know any better. They THINK their way of life will make them happy, but they are in bondage. Our addictions and worldly desires are much the same. We THINK they'll make us happy. They want. We are in bondage. And we just don't know any better.

But there is a better way. Real freedom. And it's found in Jesus.