What is Love? Love is Celebrating Freedom

Galatians 5:13-18 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

God says I am called to be free from the peril of sin.  I can choose to indulge myself with this freedom, or I can choose to serve others humbly in love.  If I focus on myself, I will fall back into sin and may destroy others with my actions and my words.  If I live only for myself, I will try to gratify the desires of my flesh, which is contrary to the desires of the Holy Spirit. 

However, if I walk by the Holy Spirit, I will do what He wants me to do instead of doing whatever I want to do.  He wants me to focus on my neighbor and to love my neighbor just as I would want to be loved.  Freedom is about God giving His love to me, so I can share His love with others. 

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS 

This line of thinking only works with those who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit.  It is through the indwelling Spirit I receive my calling to be free.  Without the Spirit, I am still a slave to sin; I am bound by the effects of sin and cannot get free.  I can try to escape, but I will continually be pulled deeper into the grip of sin. 

When I accept Jesus as my Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to live in my heart and guide me through life.  My desire will be to please Him, and through this obedience, He will use me to love others around me. 

On a day I celebrate freedom in my life, I thank the Lord for the freedom He has given me.  While many have died so I can have freedom on this earth, there was One who died so I can enjoy eternal freedom with Him forever. 

Lord, I am forever thankful for the freedom you have given me.  Thank You for sacrificing Your life, so I could be free from sin. And thank You for rising again, so I can receive Your gift of eternal life. 

In Jesus' Name, Amen.