“Freedom isn’t free.”
Like most Americans, I know this statement to be true. My family roots in this nation run deep. Both my maternal and paternal ancestors came to the Americans in the 1750’s. Roorks were in the Philadelphia Militia of the Revolutionary War. Wilson’s fought in the Carolina’s. They were present in 1812 and soldiers on both sides of the America Civil War. The Great War, the Second World War, Vietnam, Korea, The War on Terror and even today, my family serves this nation.
Our blood has been spilled for this country.
We know Freedom has a Price.
My family ancestors have also known the price of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. They were Missionaries to the Appalachia’s in the late 1700’s. Ministers, missionaries and lay servants of Christ are found throughout my family tree.
This week, as we prepared for celebrating the Freedom of our Nation, I’ve been pondering the price of Freedom in Christ.
Not Salvation, not forgiveness – that’s free. There is nothing I could ever accomplish in my weak humanity to earn or deserve eternity with my Creator. No good deed would ever make me worthy of Jesus’ death on a Cross.
I’ve been thinking of the Freedom from Sin. The power that sin can have on our lives. Even the things that aren’t sin but God asks us, for our health or benefit, to eliminate from our heart. Salvation brings such freedom. It is not a list of “Do Not” but it’s a life of “Don’t Have to” yet sin in our world has made our minds, our bodies, even our spirits open to things that would destroy our Relationship with God.
And bottom line – It’s all about Relationship.
This world was not created for God to have something to do. The laws of nature and science were not spun in motion in order for God to experiment with. Man and Woman were not created for God to have puppets to play with.
We were Created for Relationship with God.
”Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,”
Hebrews 12:1 (HCSB)
The writer of Hebrews acknowledges that there are “weights” and then there is “sin”.
Weights need Freedom. Sin needs Forgiveness.
Sometimes that freedom is hard. I have seen God touch a persons heart and instantly remove a taste and craving for things that held them in addiction. I have seen cigarettes in trash cans. Seen the Face of Peace as anxiety and fear left a person. Known those who set aside in one sweep the addiction to pornography.
Yet more often, I have seen God work through patience and mercy while he taught grace and trust. The process of Turning Away (Ezekiel 18:30) and Rooting Out (Ephesians 4:31) requires our participation.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. “
Acts 3:19
Both ‘repent’ and ‘turn’ are action verbs. They require decision and intentionality. They require work. They have a cost in our time, our inconvenience, our struggle. No magic pills or liquids, but lots of Faith.
And humility. It’s not easy. It’s very hard sometimes. Hard to admit we are wrong. Hard to turn to God because we fear He will not forgive us. Hard to face our shame. Hard to tame our tongue. Hard to walk in the Freedom.
That’s why Holy Spirit comes and helps us – our comforter, deliverer, friend. He will be the whisper of hope in our struggle.
Every time, it gets easier. And easier. Instead of repeating Gossip, we choose to not tell anything that is not our story. Next time, we silence the gossiper before they begin. Maybe we even find new friends if they choose to continue this behavior.
The cost of your freedom makes it sweeter. At the end of this road, you will see where Holy Spirit guided and Jesus’ grace sustained you and the love of Father God made it possible. You will rest in the humility that only God would love you enough to let you walk through the fight so that you may know him deeper.
Freedom isn’t Free, but it is worth the cost.
Complicated Hope 
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