Scripture Verse that Caught my attention today: Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.
Observation: Paul looks beyond freedom to something of more value.
Application: Sometimes we don’t think far enough ahead. We think of what might be good for us (to make the team, land the job, date a particular person, have the child, make X amount of money, etc.) but then don’t go on to think about how we might use such situations to actually be of service to others. Freedom is like that. For many, freedom is not having someone else tell us what to do. We think of being free from rather than being free for.
For Paul, freedom is both free from and free for. We are free from sin, death, and the power of the devil and free for loving service to our neighbor. We are free from the works of the flesh and free for the fruits of the spirit against which there is no law.
For those who have made the team, how will you serve? For those who have gotten the position, how will you make the world a better place? For those who are now dating (or married to) the person of your dreams, how will you nurture that relationship? For those who now have a child or children, how will you teach/show the child/children how to freely serve? For those who now have significant financial resources, how will you use them in a fruits of the spirit kind of way?
One of the things I appreciate about Paul is his ability to focus beyond the superficial, beyond present pleasantries to things of more lasting value. Freedom is freedom from. But feedom is also, and maybe even mostly, freedom for.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the freedom we have in Christ. Help us to use that freedom in ways that bring joy to your heart and satisfaction to our own. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Readings today included: Job 31-32 and Galatians 5-6)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment