The Fourth of July reminds this reforming procrastinator I can gratefully celebrate two freedoms! I celebrate the freedom our founding fathers and many men and women have sacrificed to obtain and maintain for us Americans. I also celebrate the freedom Jesus Christ bought, giving His life as sacrifice to obtain that for me.
Remember Galatians 5:1, 16 (NKJV). “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage‚Ķ.Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
We should celebrate our freedom, exercise our freedom, and be diligent to maintain the freedom we have in this country. We should celebrate our freedom in Christ, exercise the freedom we have, and be diligent to walk in the freedom we have in Him.
The freedom we have in our country can be lost. We can fail to exercise it and fail to be diligent to maintain it. The freedom we have in Christ cannot be lost. We may not walk in the freedom He has obtained for us, but that freedom is still ours because His work is settled and eternal.
Walking free in our country requires diligence and sacrifice. We need to continually watch out for the seemingly insignificant and the full out attacks on our liberty. We must not procrastinate in stopping such advances against us. Walking free as Christians also requires diligence, sacrifice. and active measures. It is not our security that is in danger in this case but our faithfulness and increased blessing.
I heard Michael Youssef talking about Matthew 25. Two servants were faithful to utilize resources from their master; the third was not. Dr. Youssef said, “He disregarded his stewardship.” I’ve been thinking about that phrase in light of my citizenship in our country and in heaven.
We have responsibilities and privileges in this country that citizens of some countries do not have. We have responsibilities and privileges also as believers in Christ.
In both cases we must stand fast in the liberty we have and not become entangled with a yoke of bondage. Entanglements like busyness or selfish thinking do not start out as bondage. They grow to become bondage – and make it easy to disregard our stewardship.
Let’s celebrate both freedoms, exercise them, and be diligent to maintain and walk in them.
As a Christian citizen, how can I be a faithful steward of this country? How can I be a faithful steward in the kingdom of God?
[* WordPress Simple Firewall plugin marked this comment as “pending”. Reason: Human SPAM filter found “port” in “comment_content” *]
Amen, Beth. Thank you for your reminders of these important truths! Blessings, Sue