GALATIANS 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

TO PONDER

I can almost see the apostle Paul, shaking his head in his hands as he writes the words from today's reading. Let me try paraphrasing Paul's sentiment into my own words.

"You idiots! Why can you not see that Christ set you free so that you could actually live and be free! All you have done is use your freedom to choose a new slave master."

It's not a unique problem though. Adam and Eve did it in the Garden of Eden making themselves slaves to their own desires, the Israelites did the same things after being freed and delivered from Egypt only to subject themselves to a golden calf statue. Then again they rejected God as their sovereign, and insisted upon a human king making themselves subject to a human rather than to God. The list goes on and on.

However, we cannot for a moment think that we are immune to this problem as modern Christians. All too often we see high profile Christian leaders fall to their self imposed slavery or servitude to power and influence, sexual immorality, greed and corruption. But it's not just the high profile Christians, they are simply the only ones we get to see and know about. Each of us, in our quite moments when we are being honest with ourselves knows the parts of our lives that we have allowed to be burdened again by a sense of guilt and shame, or by some selfish desire. These things stop us from really experiencing the fullness of the freedom Christ has won for us.

Jesus won you freedom so that you could be free. So what is stopping you from living in that freedom? Stand firm and do not let yourself be made a slave again.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to understand what true freedom is. Please help me to live each day in the freedom you have won for me and help my life to be one that brings the light of your redeeming love to the lives of others so they may also live as your free and chosen people. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.