You cannot escape the fact that the United States turns 250 years old this July 4th. I have been reading the constitution and some of our founding documents to take a better and comprehensive view of our beginnings. The freedom and rights granted to us by God in the United States Constitution require a moral people to do the right thing when it comes to living in freedom. As followers of Christ, we know that freedom means something deeper. God doesn’t force obedience. He doesn’t manipulate. He doesn’t coerce. God does not host parades followed by fireworks. He lovingly invites. He reveals His heart, sets out the path before us, and calls us to trust Him.
My experience has shown me that one of the greatest expressions of Christian freedom is not insisting on my own way, but rather becoming a man who reflects the heart of Jesus. Jesus never separated truth from grace. He offered both, and in doing so, He changed my life forever.
So as flags wave and fireworks fill the sky may we remember that the greatest freedom we have is found in Christ. And may that freedom be evident in the way we love others—with patience, compassion, courage, and unwavering hope.
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