The Cost of Freedom

Jul 4, 2008 Print This Post

I’m nervous about what I feel like posting right now.

Luckily, if you decide to throw stones at this post, you’ll only harm your computer.

OK…here goes…

I was thinking about Independence Day this morning and this great country of ours. And it made me wonder it Satan loves our country.

And I’m not talking about the “moral decline” in America…you can find that anywhere.

I’m not taking about our greed and gluttony…you can find that anywhere.

I’m talking about our…ahem…freedom.

Now, don’t get me wrong here, I heart America. I really do. I think we have an amazing country and I love our system of government. I love our freedoms.

But I wonder if Satan loves our freedoms more that I do.

Why do I say this? Because down throughout history, Christianity has grown more in persecuted countries than in free ones. One of the most tragic things to happen to Christianity was when Constantine not only made it legal, but official.

And now, some 2000 years later, bazillions of Americans say they follow Jesus, but do they really? Or do they just like being part of the Jesus club?

In many other countries, to say you love Jesus is to issue your own death warrant. And yet people do it…by the millions. In China alone, there are somewhere between 10 and 65 million Christians. Why do they do it? Because Jesus offers them hope and yes, freedom.

In our free society, we take it as our “right” to be free. Maybe that’s why we don’t really feel like we need Jesus.

Happy Independence Day.

Galatians 5:13 – For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

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Growing up in the Lansing area, I wanted nothing more than to get out. My exit strategy included a complex mixture of schemes for an urban church plant, iProducts, and an elaborate Bollywood car chase scene with zombies and catchy techno music.

As a 40 year old man, I find myself entrenched in the Lansing area at a church I love (Riverview), with 4 kids I love more (a high schooler, a junior higher, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler), and a wife I love the most (Grace).

Instead of planting one church, I dream of helping hundreds get started without ever leaving my home base. I still love my iProducts and use them as tools to help lead and teach the thousands who attend Riverview. And when no one is looking, I blare the techno music and send my unimpressive resume to casting agents for Bollywood zombie films.

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