Freedom to Lovingly Share
Today we celebrate the 244th birthday of our nation, because it was on this day back in 1776 that the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. In that document, our founding fathers declared the United States of America to be “free and independent states” – no longer under British governance.
Freedom, of course, originates with God. It is His idea. God’s Word tells us that we are freed from our slavery to sin by believing in what Jesus did on the cross for us. It also tells us that we are to use our freedom to serve one another through love. Listen to Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
We serve clients physically by offering pregnancy-related helps to them at no cost… things like pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting lessons, and baby supplies. As the Lord would have it – meeting with clients for those purposes creates opportunities for us to serve them spiritually, too. We might have the chance to pray with them, or an occasion to share the gospel with them. We would not be able to serve them as well if we ourselves weren’t free, thanks to Jesus. Spiritual freedom leads to acts of service toward our neighbors.
So today, whether you and I are wearing red, white, and blue; or we plan to enjoy a picnic or some fireworks… Let’s remember that our truest freedom comes from what Jesus did on the cross for us. And let’s also remember to use that freedom not to serve our own flesh, but to lovingly serve others. We align our lives with Jesus in this way. We have all been created for Him.