Free to Serve – July 4, 2023

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.
1 Timothy 6:11,12

Free to Serve

Citizens of the United States celebrate the Fourth of July as the day the founders of the country made it clear they were willing to fight for their freedom. A close reading of history shows that those founders disagreed on which freedoms and how to fight for them.

We don’t have to disagree on what it means for Christians to fight the good fight of faith. The Bible is clear. It encourages Christians to flee from the love of money and to pursue things like righteousness and godliness instead. In our Christian freedom, we demonstrate persistent love for the people around us, confident that God will continue to bless us with forgiveness. With a stable government, Christians have the blessing to fight the good fight of faith with gentleness.

In a country with freedom of religion, Christians have gone beyond individual works of kindness and pooled their resources to help their whole communities in the areas of medical care, community support, and a social safety net. The Christian emphasis on helping women and children, widows, and orphans, continues to influence every country where the gospel is proclaimed to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people.

Even more important than these physical blessings is the message Christians have been privileged to proclaim. It is the message of full and free forgiveness found only in the saving work of Jesus. It is the message of freedom from the punishment our sins deserve and freedom to love and serve others to thank God for sending his Son to save us.

On this Fourth of July, thank the Lord for his blessings, large and small. Look for ways to serve others, especially with the good news about Jesus. Keep up the good work.

Prayer:
Almighty God, help me use the freedom you have won to serve the people you have brought into my life . Amen.