i had lots of thoughts and heard many more of the incredible freedom that we celebrate as a nation...and the high price that is paid for it by the awesome men and women who guard our freedom. truly, it's hard to think of those who lay down their very lives daily to protect and serve without a stir of great emotion and gratitude.
it also brought to mind a verse that's been rolling around in my (oh so spacious) brain lately:
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13
this verse is speaking itself into my thoughts and heart layer by layer...infiltrating each and every facet and corner of my life.
yesterday, as we celebrated our nation's physical, political, religious freedoms i couldn't help but think of so many across the globe who weren't celebrating. so many who suffer oppressions and injustices that my heart and mind can't even fathom.
sometimes it's easier for me to stick my bleached-blonde hair in the sand and not think of the atrocities that most of the world's population face day in and day out, while i'm sipping my hot coffee in my air-conditioned, spacious home (with clean, running water). and while that might work for a short time, knowing Christ and being loved by Him propels my heart to love His family as i love my own...no matter where they are or what they are enduring. and knowing that no matter what physical, religious or political persecution or oppression faced, we all have a Hero...who always wins.
a Hero that each and every person alive, regardless of ethnicity, background, social or political status, gender--has. a Hero that indeed has laid down His life for not just His friends, but His brothers and sisters. a Hero that doesn't need artillery, strategery, or a surprise attack. He has all the power, all the strength and all the Love it takes to win the battle that all of us face...daily. the battle for our heart. and indeed He has already won that battle, faced and defeated death itself. no darkness, no opponent, no challenge can overtake Him. He is steadfast, sure, from beginning to eternity. and He fights for all of us. Loves so perfectly...'no greater love.'
that makes me smile, from the inside out.
and then (as if that wasn't enough deep thinking for one day!) it hit me that we all face afflictions. we all have battles we need fought on our behalf. i might have clean water to drink and even more than enough of it to lavishly wash my car, groceries at my disposal, warm beds for me and mine to sleep in...not to mention the thousands of other luxuries that we enjoy from sun up to sun down everyday! but i still need a Hero. i still need Someone to fight for me. i might thoroughly enjoy physical freedoms but fall prey to oppression of my heart and mind. thoughts and beliefs about myself and others that long to see me defeated, paralyzed...sin and death that would love to ruin my life and those around me.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
What's the 'good news' today? One has already laid down His life for us...that means you too, by the way. One has already come and defeated sin and darkness and He fights for us every second of every day to share in that victory too!! and no matter where i live or what my circumstances, He Loves perfectly, fights for me constantly...and here's the greatest part....He's bigger than all of them combined! this doesn't mean that i'm guaranteed exemption from pain, poverty or suffering. in fact, it's inevitable. but it does mean that the circumstances, afflictions and sufferings that i find myself in--pale in comparison to who my Hero is. and not only is He the winning team...
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39).
He never leaves, never gets tired, needs a break or goes through a selfish phase.
so today i'm so grateful for freedom. for more physical freedoms than i feel worthy of, but definitely way more true freedom than i deserve.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1
