Day 7, Friday, November 22
Read:Galatians 5:1-18
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (v. 1)
I’m grateful for freedom in Christ. It’s not a small thing, but it does involve a lot of small, daily choices; disciplines I can choose to treat lightly or disregard entirely to my own peril. On some level, even small choices lead toward freedom or captivity.
Even when we can’t change circumstances on the outside, nothing and no one can take away our freedom to think, to remember, to choose what we believe, and to practice love, gratitude, hope, or peace. Of course, we are also free to practice anger, jealously, and resentment, allowing them to grow until they spill over and begin to bind our life and relationships. It’s like going backwards and enslaving ourselves again Scripture says.
The freedom to choose flows in and offers us a path toward peace in the most important relationship of all. God tells Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Gen. 4:7).”
For most of us, there will be a lot of choices to either “do well” or “not do well” ahead over the holidays. Stand firm in the freedom God has given you to choose his paths, gratitude, and life. It is for freedom, after all, that Christ has set you free.
As you pray, ask God to help you love your freedom in Christ so much that other choices don’t allure.
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