Live Free: A Study of Galatians Primjer

 We have a beautiful Siberian Husky, named Yukon. He is always bursting at the seams with limitless energy. It doesn’t matter how many walks around the neighborhood or runs through the park we take him on, he always has energy for more. Every year, when winter begins to establish itself here in Western New York, Yukon’s enthusiasm and zest for life, kicks into another gear. When the snow piles high, we love to take Yukon to a field near our house and let him roam free, without his leash. The snow and freedom unleashes an entirely new level of excitement in our dog and he bounds around unfettered and fully alive. 

Unfortunately, although we were all designed to live free, with the passion Yukon exudes when the snow flies, we so often enter each day constrained by the patterns of our past. Voltaire once said, “It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.” How often do we act like the people Voltaire describes, rather than as children of God, endowed with incredible freedom? 

Paul implores us in the passage today, to choose freedom over everything else. He reminds us that we “were called to freedom” and can chose to walk in that freedom every day. We no longer have to be enslaved to the conditions of our past. This reminds us of another exhortation found in Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” 

Imagine for a moment, that we took Yukon to the snow covered field and set him free to run and he simply sat down and refused to move. Would he truly be free? How often do we live within the length of a leash, that connects to our past? As you read today, consider if you are running freely in your relationship with Jesus.

Reflect:

Are you running well or are you hindered? 

Respond:

Ask God today to help you understand how to use your freedom to bring Him glory.