Celebrating Freedom – 7.2.10

We are getting ready to celebrate the birthday of our great country this weekend and because of that, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about freedom and liberty recently.  I truly love this country and I take great pride in the fact that I’m an American.  When I stop to think about the generations before us and all they went through to secure our freedom, it’s overwhelming.  I only hope if I had been living back then, that I would have been willing to make the same sacrifices they made for us.  I’m so thankful to live in a country that places such a high value on freedom.

While I’m grateful for the freedom this country offers me, I’m even more grateful and overwhelmed by the freedom my Savior offers me.  There are many people walking the streets of this free country, bound.  There are also many people roaming the hallways of the churches in this free country, bound.  Most don’t even know they have chains binding them.  They’re bound by addiction, depression, guilt, money, a feeling of worthlessness and the list goes on and on.  While our country offers certain freedoms and rights for us as human beings on this earth, Christ offers true freedom for our minds, hearts and souls that will not only be experienced here on earth, but for all of eternity.  One of my favorite scriptures is 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.”  I want to live in all of the freedom Christ has for me and I want to encourage my neighbors and friends to do the same.  God has so much more for all of us and I want to do my part in helping others attain all that God has for them.

Let’s remember to be thankful for our freedom and be conscious of doing what we can to help spread that freedom.  “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela