"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free." Lk 1:67
Freedom is the most precious gift of the sons and daughters of God, but because most of us have experienced political freedom in North America, we rarely appreciate fully the freedom God gives us. Only when we have been trapped inside a foreign country or considered as less than human as the Jews of old were in Egypt and Babylon, can we begin to understand the precious gift of freedom that God gives us, not only in our national lives as citizens of a democracy, but spiritually.
When God sets God's people free it is not a license to do anything we like, but a privilege that we have to live and celebrate with joy. The freedom of the sons and daughter of God is rooted in God's promise always to be our ground, our heart, a mother who holds us in the palm of her hand and a father who, like a shepherd, watches over us at every turn. Because God claims us as God's own we are free from fear. God's love is everlasting and can never be taken from us.
Using our imaginations to help others is the fruit of God's great gift of freedom. When we let ourselves dream about a better home life, neighborhood, country and world, we open up possibilities for ourselves and others to change the structures that limit freedom and live as God desires.
Today, pray for all peoples who have no political or spiritual freedom.
How have you used God's gift of freedom for others?
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