Freed To Love And Serve

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12 KJV)

I am reminded this Fourth of July morning of Ninevah who after Jonah finally got around to warning them of God's impending judgment repented. They changed their ways and God changed his mind about their destruction.

"And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." (Jonah 3:10 KJV)

We celebrate our independence from England today. We celebrate our freedoms. Sadly, we do not always understand that our freedoms should not inflict pain and suffering on others. As Christians we are not free to abuse others so that we can get our way.

As we contemplate our freedom today may we all remember that the freedoms that we do have are not to be abused rather they should be used to love and serve God; to love and serve others. Do good! Not evil! Everything that we do does affect others either negatively or positively. We do not live in a vacuum. We live in communities.

Remember the words of our Savior: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:1) We are not all called to actually physically die in someone else's place or to free others. But, many have given their lives. Jesus did. He died so that we might be reconciled to God and to one another. May God help us to live that life of reconciliation in Christ Jesus. We can do that by remembering that everyone has certain freedoms in this country not just you or me. We cannot use our personal perceived freedoms if they are going to harm others in anyway. But, we certainly can use them to make sacrifices of our own egos for the betterment of our neighbors; the country; and the world.

We are free to love and serve God. We are free to love and serve others as Jesus did and as so many others have. What a wonderful world this would be if we could only remember that. As we celebrate Independence Day may God bless us with ears to hear so that we might better understand what changes we might make to make this country and the world an even better place to live for all people.

God grant you safety as you celebrate this weekend.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Blessed Is The Nation

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance."  (Psalm 33:12 NIV)

Family gatherings, cook-outs, parades, and fireworks are just a few of the ways that people around the U.S.A. will celebrate Independence Day today. We do, indeed, live in a great country; a country that was founded on principles like freedom and justice. There are so many people in so many countries who have no where near the freedom and the opportunities that the people of this nation have. We have been truly blessed by God. May God help all people to realize the gift that we have been given in having the opportunity to live here as we remember how much blood has been shed so that we might have the privilege to live in this land of the free.

But, as we celebrate on this Independence Day, we all ought to remember that those who believe in Jesus Christ belong to another nation as well. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10) 

Although many who live in the U.S.A. are also members of God's holy nation; all are not. Many residents of the holy nation also do not reside in the U.S.A.. There is an overlapping of sorts; but, the two are not one and the same. 

Even while we live in this world and in this country, we are residents of God's Kingdom as well. May God grant that as His holy nation we should at all times and in all places remember that we are blessed to be a part of this country and most certainly blessed to be heirs of the Kingdom of God. Let us live our lives as residents and representatives of that Kingdom which was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

His Light Leads Us

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake them. 
                                                       Isaiah 42: 16

Through the trees we could see the lights exploding in the darkness. Last night most of our neighbors were celebrating Independence Day, a day early, with fireworks. The light put off by fireworks is sometimes very bright; but, it is also very momentary. They might give enough light for you to see to take a few more steps in the darkness. But, the light is not enduring. God's light never burns out. It is there always to lead you on unfamiliar paths; to lead you through dark valleys.

May God help us to walk in the way of his light that He has set before us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Have a joyful Independence Day!