Freedom isn't Free
Thank you to all of you who have stepped outside your own comfort zone and chosen to work to keep our country free. I heard some individuals on television recently ranting about "This is America, I have the freedom say what I want!" The lives that were lost to keep this country free and the people who have suffered physical and emotional pain and suffering as a result of being in the middle of these conflicts, did not do so lightly. These soldiers and military personnel shouldered our freedom at a price, we have no right to flaunt that freedom as an entitlement.
Jesus asks us to shoulder the cross and that doing so will set us free, at a price. The price of giving up our will, our ways, our desires, our pursuits, our pleasures, and setting them at the foot of the cross. Then we are to pick up the cross that Christ has in mind for us to carry. One much better suited for His purposes and plans for our lives and the lives of those we influence around us. Eternal freedom isn't free either, it came at a cost--Christ Jesus' very life. Yet, we get to enjoy the gift of salvation freely due to the price He paid.
So on this Memorial Day, as we celebrate those in the military that fought and died for our freedom, let us not forget to thank God who willingly gave His only son so that we could have freedom from the power of death over our lives. Due to others' sacrifices, we are free to worship God without fear of retribution in American. Let's not flaunt our freedoms, but rather cherish them, protect them, and pray for our government, its leaders, and policy makers. Let's pray for our men and women in the armed forces. Let's cover our country in prayer!
Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Jesus asks us to shoulder the cross and that doing so will set us free, at a price. The price of giving up our will, our ways, our desires, our pursuits, our pleasures, and setting them at the foot of the cross. Then we are to pick up the cross that Christ has in mind for us to carry. One much better suited for His purposes and plans for our lives and the lives of those we influence around us. Eternal freedom isn't free either, it came at a cost--Christ Jesus' very life. Yet, we get to enjoy the gift of salvation freely due to the price He paid.
So on this Memorial Day, as we celebrate those in the military that fought and died for our freedom, let us not forget to thank God who willingly gave His only son so that we could have freedom from the power of death over our lives. Due to others' sacrifices, we are free to worship God without fear of retribution in American. Let's not flaunt our freedoms, but rather cherish them, protect them, and pray for our government, its leaders, and policy makers. Let's pray for our men and women in the armed forces. Let's cover our country in prayer!
Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
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