Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Land of the Free From?
Today is July 4th. Today we are suppposed to remember that we are free. Today we tend to focus less on what we are "free from" but what we are "free to"--free to worship anything, free to disagree with the President, free to waste our time, our money, our lives, free to decide how we decide. In the great span of culture and time, it's quite an unusual position, the freedom to live how we like. And so we celebrate with mass quanities of juicy griled beef, fresh ripe strawberries, sugar-sweet corn-on-the-cob, triple-scooped ice cream cones. Great food is a blessing. So is "freedom to". But really, "freedom from" is the most mind-boggling concept of all. Freedom from sin, freedom from fear, freedom from death, freedom from crippling anxieties, freedom from destructive lusts. "Freedom from" is a gift, one that cost Him dearly. Only by exploring "freedom from" can we properly appreciate the "freedom to" that most Americans think is an irrevocable right. So many people practicing their "freedom to" are anything but free. And those of us who, with wide eyes, have accepted the gift of "freedom from" must exercise our "freedom to" and share that gift. Maybe accompanied by a nice scoop of ice cream.
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4 comments:
Good thoughts, gwennies.
cztbjh
Wow, I never thought of it that way. Thanks for sending off a few fireworks in my brain!
Great perspective, friend (and your 2nd to last sentence is fantabulous). It is amazing to think that the "freedom from"s that come with knowing God are the kind that can never be stripped from us, are not tied to nation or culture. I can't be sure I will always be free from major persecution or oppression, from hunger or poverty. But I know that no matter what the world throws at me, I am forever free from condemnation. Forever- no more questions asked. Now THAT is freedom.
Great blog. Great post. Thanks for the challenging thoughts. -Josh
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