Daily Encouragement

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”   (2 Corinthians 3:17, NIV)

Freedom is not for the faint-hearted; nor is freedom for the weak-minded.

It is a double-edged sword: We have freedom “from” things — such as freedom from tyranny, from fear, and from slavery; and we have freedom “to” things — such as the freedom to choose, and the freedom to succeed.  This freedom is not known everywhere in our world, which makes our heritage as a country even more special in the family of nations; not only for freedom’s benefits, but for its costs, as well.

Today’s scripture reminds us of a kind of freedom that is not limited by national boundaries or by physical borders. Its declaration is not written on paper or on parchment, but on the human heart.

This holiday, as we celebrate and ponder the gift of freedom in all of its manifestations, remember also the freedom purchased for us by the blood of Jesus, validated by His resurrection, and affirmed through the living testimony of faithful men and women.  His Spirit not only reminds us of freedom’s benefits, but gives us the strength to bear its costs!  – Luther