Freedom is…
"For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don't use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but serve one another through love." Galatians 5:13
Insight
I recently talked to my kids about freedom in Christ, and it hit me how abstract this concept is for me as an adult, let alone a child. But if my 4-year-old can learn about volcanoes on Mars in preschool, I figured why not give painting a picture about freedom a shot? Even with my best explanations, this complex concept seemed just out of their reach. When I asked what it means to be free, they said, "you can do whatever you want, or it doesn't cost you anything." Both were honest answers and, for me, interesting thoughts to process.
You see, although my kids are little, their response was a natural response that many of us as adults also think. We may know that what they said isn't the correct answer, but how often do we live our lives as if it is? We decide more "me time" is what we need; we've worked hard, so we feel we deserve a break. We helped last time; it's someone else's turn to step up. We may even think that saying we follow God or trust Him is enough. We don't need to change how we live and our choices. Following Him doesn't need to cost us anything, right?
In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul is trying to help us see that getting ourselves together before we help others or loving ourselves above our neighbors is not the freedom that Jesus came for us to experience. When we rely on Him and trust His guidance, we find the purpose we are ultimately longing for. No amount of spa days, quiet days at the beach, or shopping sprees will fill those desires because they are desires of the flesh. Are they all bad? Of course not! But too often, we substitute them for what we actually need.
I recently read the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, which is all about our distracted world. I don't have the exact quote, but it talked about the biggest threat to our faith formation isn't deconstructing our faith or choosing to walk away; it is simply becoming so busy that we settle for things of this world to give us breaks rather than finding proper rest that only comes from God.
We have been set free so that we can freely give of ourselves. We are free because of what Jesus has done. But, when we use that freedom to indulge in surface-level temptations, we will constantly be unfulfilled. The freedom that Jesus has provided is to be used to give ourselves away. Even though it will cost us something and it means we can't do whatever we want, when we live this way, God works things even more beautifully than we can imagine. We have been bought at a price, and we are free. What will you do with the freedom you have been given?
Reflection
What surface-level substitutes do you rely on to provide rest that only God can provide?
How can you practically love your neighbor as yourself and serve others this week?
Prayer
God, thank you for the freedom I have because of You. Thank you for the gift of life. I pray for eyes to see others and genuinely love them as You do. I pray that You would work in my heart to seek You above the things of this world and help me serve others as You have called me to. Amen.
Katie Robinson, Port City Kids' Home Coordinator, wrote today's devotional.