Putting God First - Freedom

I’ve been thinking about freedom lately, and it isn’t even July 4th. "Freedom" is an interesting word. It means many things to many people. In America I think we take freedom for granted. Too many generations have passed since this country fought for the right to be free. But freedom has a price doesn't it.

Too much freedom leaves society to do whatever it wants to. One person can infringe on another person's freedom by exercising their own. Freedom must have something to go with it or it would just become chaos. So freedom has rules, or laws if you want to look at it legally. If you want to be "politically correct" we'll just call them heavily suggested guidelines.

Why are they necessary? The answer is simple. To protect us. Protect us from what? I would have to say to protect us from ourselves.

Man did not just create this concept. God knew it first. God offers us freedom, real freedom. But there are some who wouldn't see it that way. They would see it as restrictions. Because God's freedom also has something that goes with it. To protect us. To keep us safe. God is not a cosmic kill-joy. God wants us to have abundant joy. A lasting, not a fleeting joy.

There is saying that is derived from the Bible (yet many don't know that), it goes: "I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see." I did not understand this until I understood God. In fact, I did not even know I was blind until I gained my sight.

For the musically knowledgeable they will recognize that those words are also found in the song "Amazing Grace". Why is it that when we are in that lost state we don't see it that way? We think we are free and don't even know that we are captives in our own prison. We are all slaves to something. For some (I relate to this one) that lost state is not recognized because of pride. Those are hard walls to let God break down.

I have so many more thoughts on this topic of freedom that I feel a sermon coming on. Since God has not called me to be a preacher I think I will stop now and close with God's words, not mine:

John 8:36
If the Son gives you freedom, you are free!
(This kind of freedom is one that can never be taken away.)

Romans 6:14
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
("Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that is greater than all our sin.")

1 Corinthians 7:35
What I am saying is for your own good--it isn't to limit your freedom. I want to help you to live right and to love the Lord above all else.
(Oh, I get it. "MY" freedom. That is what I hold on to. I have to let my freedom go in order to accept God's freedom. There can only be one Master in my life, I can't serve myself and my God.)

1 Timothy 2:6
He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

AMEN