Freedom

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

After Jesus died, the apostles saw Him several times. He told them that they would receive power, and that they were to proclaim the good news to all the ends of the earth. From timid, scared men who were in hiding, they became bold and fervent, and gave their witness every where. They preached and performed many miraculous signs. Some people would get healed just from being under Peter's shadow. So we can imagine the crowds and commotion that followed them!

The High Priest and the Sadducees were not happy about this! They were jealous and threw the apostles in jail. But an angel came in the night and set them free. "Go out now ...and preach to the people about this new life!" And so Peter and the apostles went back to the Temple at dawn and started preaching!

Do we realize that we too have been set free? It may not be from an actual jail cell, but sin and death can be as real and confining as a jail cell. If we have no addiction to sexual sin, if we have no need of inner healing, if we are free from depression, if we are not bound by a desire for alcohol, that is by the grace of God! We live in a broken society where so many are in need of freedom. If we are free, let us help others who are not free by giving them the message of life like the apostles were driven to do. If we have need of healing, let us go to Jesus and say, "Lord, I want to be free! Pour down Your grace upon me! I need You! Forgive me and heal my brokenness!" Truly God's lavish and extravagant grace, His unmerited favor, is available to all!