Let freedom ring

Here in the United States we have just finished celebrating Independence Day, the day the colonies declared their independence from England. Most people celebrate with barbeques, picnics, parties, and fireworks. Red. white and blue are the colors of the day, and there are parades and patriotism in abundance.

While we are celebrating our independence as a nation, what we are really celebrating is our freedom. For all the faults of the United States, we still enjoy more freedom than many other places, and that is something that we value deeply. There is a constant tension between security and freedom: generally the more security we desire, the less freedom we enjoy. A bank vault may be very secure, but there is not a lot of freedom there—no windows, usually only one door that stays locked, and not a lot of freedom to move in and out at will.

There are many freedoms that we have here, but one that I value the most is the freedom to worship as I choose. With that freedom that allows me to worship God in my own way, it also allows others to worship in ways that are different, and that is only right. Sometimes we forget that the very freedom that gives us the right to pursue God and worship as we choose also gives others the same right, even if it is different than us. I love the church, but unfortunately sometimes people in the church have tried to impose their values on the world around them, and we do not have that right.

Jesus said clearly that there is only one way to have a relationship with God, and that is through him. As firmly as I believe that, however, I do not believe that I have the right to force my values, formed as a result of that belief, on the world around me. That's not what Jesus came to do. Before Jesus died and even right after he rose from the dead, his disciples were sure that he had come to set up an earthly kingdom and change the culture, to bring freedom to the nation of Israel, but that was not at all his plan. 

What Jesus ultimately came to do was to bring freedom to all people who will follow him. He offers the opportunity to have a real relationship with the living God and freedom from the things that oppress us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That is the most precious freedom of all, for it lasts forever and impacts every aspect of our lives.

I am thankful for every freedom that I have here in the United States, but no matter where I might live in the years ahead, I am even more thankful for the freedom that I know through Jesus. If you have never experienced the freedom that comes from following Jesus, you can do so right now. If there are things that you feel are blocking the kind of freedom you would like to know through Jesus, we would welcome the opportunity to pray for you.

July 6, 2008