TRUE FREEDOM
July is upon us, and with it we remember our country’s birthday. July 4th is not just a time for hotdogs and fireworks, but also an opportunity to consider the cost of freedom. The blessings of freedom we enjoy today were dearly bought by so many. We remember the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, but we do not often consider what they endured. Five of the signers were captured and killed by British forces during the war, while another nine died from battle wounds or the hardships of military service.
I am particularly drawn to the story of one of the signers, Thomas Nelson Jr. At the final battle of the war, the British had set up their headquarters in the family home of one of the signers, Thomas Nelson Jr. They say that Nelson urged George Washington to fire on his home, even offering a reward for the first cannoneer to score a hit. They say his house was severely damaged, and because of his wartime sacrifices, he never regained the funds to repair it.
When reminded of such stories, I feel my gratitude for freedom is weak and feeble, compared to what it ought to be. I should thank God every day for His great blessings to us, not the least of which is to live in the place and the time that we do. As recipients of such sorely bought freedom, ours is the great challenge, to live in freedom according to God’s plan, and not our own.
Paul wrote to the church
For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. (Galatians 5:13)
As followers of Jesus, we should always remember that His death bought our eternal freedom. When we live only to freely please ourselves, we dishonor both the One whose Name we bear and the sacrifices of the men and women of past generations, whose legacy still touches us today. Let us give thanks to God for the freedom that is ours, but let us use our freedom to honor the Lord’s command, “to serve one another through love.”
PS One other thing I discovered about old Thomas Nelson Jr – he was my 9th great grandfather!
Jamie McElrath
Senior Pastor
