Enduring Freedom

Christin Ditchfield, Thomas Kinkade

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." --the Declaration of Independence

The United States of America is a nation built on the principle of freedom. The Founding Fathers believed that men and women should be free to assemble together, free to express themselves, free to defend themselves, and free to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. For over 200 years, our nation has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. With the passing of time, we have grown accustomed to these freedoms--we expect them as a matter of course. We even take them for granted.

But as we've recently been reminded, our freedom and security are not invulnerable to attack. Liberty has been our way of life, and now that way of life has been threatened. History records the rise and fall of many nations, many cultures, many peoples. When we consider the dangers that confront us, we are faced with a frightening question: "Will our freedom endure?"

The reality is that freedom can be won and freedom can be lost. We have no guarantees for the future. No wonder our hearts grow heavy.

There is only one freedom that will last forever, only one freedom that can never be taken from us. That's the freedom of the Spirit--the freedom that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that we are all in bondage to something far worse than a rogue government or enemy nation. We are in bondage to sin--the darkness of our own hearts. Our failures and mistakes, our willful disobedience to God's laws--this separates us from Him. Our behavior falls far short of His holy and righteous standards. The sin that enslaves us leads ultimately to death and hell, an eternal separation from God.

But God wants to set us free from sin. He longs to be reconciled to us. In His love for us, He found a way: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Because Jesus died in our place, we can be forgiven. We can be set free from the power of sin and death. We can be set free from guilt and fear. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).

If we put our trust in Him, we can face whatever the future holds with confidence--knowing that our hearts are right with God. He is with us. He will strengthen and sustain us. And when our life on this earth comes to an end, we will be reunited with God in Heaven. There we will experience unspeakable joy and unshakable peace that will last for all eternity.

This is truly "enduring freedom."

If you want to experience the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus Christ, you might pray something like this:

"Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, in need of a Savior. Please forgive me. I believe You are the Son of God. Thank You for dying on the cross to set me free from sin. Help me to live in that freedom day by day. Fill my heart with Your joy and peace as I learn to trust in You. Amen."

© 2002-2004 Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
Translated by permission of Good News Publishers
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