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Freedom:

It’s a God-given right for all humans to have freedom. Depending on how you view the issue, freedom could be curse or a blessing.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given a free will. They had total freedom to do whatever they wanted. They even had freedom to go against God and His good and right ways. God understands true love. If He had created them to have no choice but to do His will, He would have been nothing but a God of tyranny. However, in His infinite wisdom, He allowed them to choose whether they would love Him or not. They chose to defy Him. As a result, the human race today suffers the consequence of physical, mental, and spiritual death, a product of their sin and ours.

God wants us to love Him freely and on our own accord. We have the choice of following Him or not. I once heard a pastor say, “God is a gentleman. He will not force Himself on you. He will wait patiently for you to turn to Him.” There is such truth in that statement.

I believe we are living in a crucial time in the United States. In my opinion, many people want to return to a slave-like state, much like the Israelites wanted to return to slavery in Egypt after escaping it for the Promised Land. Many of them were hungry and uncomfortable. They believed that living in Egypt as a slave with a full belly and some shelter was better than living in the desert, not knowing where they were going to stay for the night, let alone what they were going to eat the next day. But they were free. Some wanted to trade in that freedom for the security of being under very cruel slave masters who not only would tell them what to do for the day, but would punish them if they did not obey or did a poor job.

In a nut shell, they trusted and respected humans more than God. More than the God of the Universe that created everything. More than the God who could and would supply their needs every day if they only trusted Him. Even if they didn’t trust Him, He still supplied their needs.

The same principle is true for you: Even if you don’t trust or obey God, He still supplies your needs. Consider these examples of His provision:

• You have air to breathe.
• You are able to read this right now.
• Have you eaten in the last three days?
• Have you eaten today?
• How about the clothes you are wearing?

These are just a few needs that He provides, not to mention all the wants with which He also blesses you.

Some of you might be wondering what I meant earlier when I said that we are moving to a slave-like state. (I would say some of you are already there and may not even know it.) Here are just a few examples of how we place ourselves into a form of slavery:

• Living outside of your means and going into debt because you want to have something to please your flesh.
• Being forced by the federal government to pay for programs and things with which we disagree. (I’m not simply talking about the current administration either. We were slowly numbed into this state of slavery under the guise of its being good.)
• Not taking responsibility for our own actions and putting our integrity into question. Some of us have blasted our integrity so badly that even non-Christians don’t believe our testimony anymore. For some of us, our witness is giving God a bad name, and it needs to stop.

There is hope though! Start living for Christ today. You have the freedom to make today a new day! That is how much God loves you. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are a new creation in Christ, and it is time to start living a new life. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we read, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

As Christ followers, we need to embrace this text and not only believe it to be true, but actually put our faith into action. If you are stuck in bondage and have chains of debt, insecurity, or doubt wrapped around you, seek the Holy Spirit. He will direct you, but you must be willing to obey His guidance. I also encourage you to find a brother or sister in Christ with whom you can share your praises and struggles. Find someone that you both trust and respect in the Lord.

Remember: God is God. We are not. People will usually let you down, but God is always faithful. Lean on Him and His wisdom. Choose today to love and follow Him.

Have you thanked the Lord lately for His many blessings? Maybe it’s time for you to repent, stop being selfish, and give thanks for His provision and your freedom in Christ.

For further study, read the account of the Israelites and their doubt of God’s provision in Exodus 16:1 – 17:7.