My favorite holidays revolve around freedom. Easter has to be my favorite holiday of the year. But a very close second is the 4th of July! Some might say it is because of fireworks, fried food, festivals, music and gathering together with family, friends and your community. (wow that was a lot of “f”. I must be preparing to speak a lot this week) While all those things are important reason why I love the 4th, the main reason is the freedom we celebrate in this holiday.
I have often heard it said that freedom is not free. That is a very true statement. Freedom always cost somebody something. My closest friend in the world is serving our country in the sandbox right now to help insure our freedom as a nation. Freedom as a country has always been build because men and women have been willing to pay the price of separation, fighting, hurt and death so that the rest of us can enjoy freedom. The same is true of our freedom in Christ. While salvation is a free gift from God, there was a price for that freedom. It was the complete wrath of God that sin deserved. Jesus was our wrath absorber so that we can be free. He paid the ultimate price for freedom!
Freedom is free, though! You and I have had to do very little today to earn the freedom that we have as a nation. We have been enjoyers of that freedom. It has been free for you and me. Salvation is also a free gift that God gives to us. It requires only believe and confession. Freedom is free.
I think some times that is the problem from many of us. When it comes to our nation, we are uninvolved in voting, supporting troops, or volunteering because freedom was free. When we get things free we tend to treat them with less value. Yes we are thankful for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines but how often apart from Veterans day, July 4th and other patriotic holidays are we truly thankful for them on our own? When is the last time you said thank you to someone in the armed services for their protection of you?
I also think that it is the problem with many Christians. Because salvation is a free gift, many of us are quick to treat it as something we can take for granted. We live day to day as if that freedom holds little value and live many times as if nothing was paid.
I have been listening to this song a lot this week by cherryholmes. If you have time, take a listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvEwzLdyCp4
On this July 4th, do not take your freedom for granted. Thank every solider you come in contact with and thank God daily for your freedom from sin. Until we are truly thankful for our freedom I am afraid we will continue to take it for granted.
Happy 4th of July
-chris
