Read: Galatians 5:1-12
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (v. 1)
I love to swim. Swimming not only gives me a great workout, but it also has another benefit. Being in the water enables me to move around under my own power. The lack of balance from my cerebral palsy prohibits me from walking. I get around using a wheelchair or leaning on someone to walk. However, in the water, I am free to swim laps by myself.
When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them tremendous freedom. They were free to eat from any tree found in the garden except for the tree in the middle of Eden. Unfortunately, the first two people disobeyed and became enslaved by sin. In the Old Testament, the Israelites tried to follow 613 laws hoping to satisfy God. Living under those rules must have felt like they lived under a yoke of slavery.
All that changed when Christ came. No longer do we need to live by hundreds of burdensome laws. Jesus ushered in the age of grace. By accepting him as Savior, God accredits Jesus’s perfect life to us, making you and me acceptable to a holy God. After we’re confident of God’s acceptance, we’re free to love him and others.
I’m free to move in the water. When we’re living in Christ, he frees us up to live for him. Freedom in Christ, what’s not to love?
As you pray, thank Jesus for the freedom he alone can give.
About the Author
Steven Laman is a writer and public speaker who has lived with cerebral palsy since his birth in 1970. Steven is a prolific devotional writer for Words of Hope, and the author of three books: My Journey God’s Grace, Strength in Weakness and My Grace Is Sufficient. He also volunteers as a teacher’s aide. He lives with his parents in Iowa.
