Freedom

As Memorial Day weekend is upon is, tonight I find myself meditating on the idea of freedom. Admittedly I'm not much of an American patriot. Granted, like most folks I tear up when I sing God Bless America (which we did at church this morning) and I am deeply thankful for the incredible sacrifices our soldiers are making overseas. But I certainly don't think there is anything inherently special or magical out the U.S.A.

I'm pondering freedom. Not just the freedom to live in safety, speak without fear, and worship openly (though I am VERY thankful for those freedoms and the American lives cost in defense of those rights). But I'm thinking more tonight of the spiritual freedom I have in Jesus.

In our church the last two Sundays the pastors have hammered on this essential nature of the gospel of Jesus. That we can do NOTHING good enough to earn a place in heaven. Nothing. And though I'm certain most Christians would ardently agree with that simple truth, I'm not sure we live that way. I know I don't! I often trust in and even boast in the outward good works I do to serve and invest in my family. And then I find myself running fruitlessly like a hamster in a wheel thinking I must do more, be better, try harder. In the midst of those pressures I hear Jesus beckoning, "Rest, my child. Sit at my feet, stop your busy-ness and be here with me."

The gospel says I'm free -- not just from the penalty of sin (which I honestly don't think about most days) but also from the pressure of trying to be good enough. What a heavy burden it is to try and try all your life to be good enough when good enough can never be attained. For what is "enough" good to satisfy a totally perfect and holy God?

Pastor Begg this morning shared this paragraph written by Charles Spurgeon who sums up this idea powerfully:

The Psalmist was wise, he rested upon nothing short of the Lord's work. It is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it is he who has carried it on; and if he does not finish it, it never will be complete. If there be one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do. [Morning and Evening, May 23]

I'm so thankful that Jesus has freed me from the pressure of being good enough for heaven. Of course that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to do good (hello, Ephesians 2:10) and to make an impact on my family, my community and my world for Jesus' sake. BUT I can rest knowing that at the end of my life my eternity doesn't depend on whether the good stuff outweighs the bad stuff. Jesus died so that I get a free ticket in (and you KNOW how I like all-things-free).

And that freedom gets me excited!