In Texas, we rarely think about the Suez Canal. That is, until this week as we watched with anticipation to see how long it would take for workers to dig out the Ever Given, a containership larger than the Empire State Building. And yesterday afternoon, they finally dug it out of the sand and she was back on her way.
It made me think – are we sometimes like the Ever Given – stuck in the muck? We shouldn’t be, but sometimes we are.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
This week, we celebrate Easter. The week when we remember that Jesus died on the cross for us and came back to life again three days later. Setting us free. Because Jesus sacrificed himself for us, we can be free – free from the burdens of sin – that envelops us like an ox yoke, weighing down our lives.
It sounds so easy to just stand firm and not be burdened. But it is hard to do, isn’t it? No doubt it can be harder than freeing a 220,000 ton ship! If we are a slave to sin, how do we get free? After all, we do live in a fallen world. It requires daily fixing our eyes to the author and perfecter of life – Jesus. It requires daily standing firm in our faith – knowing what we believe and who we believe in. It requires loving others and not being selfish.
The result of this standing firm:
Peace
Love
Faith
Joy
Assurance of more than we can ever imagine.
This life will always have troubles in it, but if we let Christ free us, he will equip us with every good thing for doing His work and our lives will become a great adventure.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving us so much and sending your Son so that we can become your children. Help me to daily remember to stand firm in my faith and let the author and perfecter of life guide me through all my days. Show me where you want me to serve, and let me do so faithfully.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
