TRUE LIBERTY

2 Corinthians 3:17

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Do you know that we are free because someone considered us worth dying for? Certainly this is true in an historical sense. Our forefathers - patriots of nearly every generation - fought for our liberty, won it, and preserved it. They took the risks, suffered the hardships, and, in some cases, gave their lives to keep us secure and free.

I believe this is true of our present-day patriots as well. They too are facing hardships and possible death for the sake of liberty and security. Some fault the Iraqi people for not recognizing this. Rom. 5:8-10 reminds us, though, that we were no wiser. Christ came to our rescue when we were still sinners; in fact, while we were His enemies! If Jesus had been willing to save only those who loved and appreciated Him we would have been forever lost. No, He loved us, and gave us what we needed. In a similar way, our men and women in uniform are risking their lives to win freedom for an ambivalent people. The truth is that people can only value freedom when they have it. It is a commodity that is recognized through experience.

My hope is that God will use the circumstances of the present conflict to introduce many - our soldiers, the average Iraqi, and the coalition's enemies - to Jesus Christ, the source of true liberty.

 

Pastor Keith Andrews