Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Free At Last!

“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

That cry originated with an old Negro Spiritual and was made famous by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous “I Have A Dream” speech and it has been a rallying cry for many different people and groups who feel oppressed and enslaved. You can feel the emotion of emancipation whenever you say the words, even if you personally aren’t subjugated in any way.

What is the power in that word, “free” and the concept of freedom? For most of human history freedom, it seems, has been the desire of one group or nation or race from another almost non-stop.

Freedom was a driving force in our own nation’s Revolution and has been a rallying cry for every war since. The Fourth of July is a celebration of our freedom. Even Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Armed Forced Day; how many holidays do we celebrate that are related in some way to achieving and protecting our freedom? We Americans love our freedom!

And we should. But our political freedom is only part of the picture. The Bible calls us to focus on the best freedom of all, spiritual freedom in Christ. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has provided us with something we could never gain on our own; freedom from sin. That is something worth celebrating!

As I read Romans 8 I get the same feeling as when I read the stirring words of MLK Jr. See if you feel it too…

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Monday, June 27, 2011

Grace Greater Than My Sin

I am so old.  I get a thought to share today and what comes to mind? A hymn. Oh well, thank you Nanty-Glo Alliance Church

The hymn is "Grace Greater Than Our Sin" (or # 545 in the maroon book for any Tunnecliffe's that may read this) So the hymn includes the lines, "Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace freely bestowed on all who believe." and "Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that is greater than all my sin." (I know it is OUR sin, but this is MY blog and I like to personalize my hymns!)

A number of things have come together to lead me to this hymn. First, over the past few days I have seen some very beautiful things like this.


(Thank you Vance & TJ)

And I have done some beautiful things with beautiful people and again in beautiful places, like this...


(Brenda takes better pictures - but you get the point)

And that reminds me of these verses in Psalm 16...

"LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance."

Then, I have been reading my daughter's and wife's blogs and they make me so proud and happy. If you read them you know what I mean. They remind me that I am blessed beyond what I deserve...that is what grace is all about. They also remind me that I am lousy at keeping up with a blog. So I came to write it all down.

I am humbled and very thankful today.  I agree with David...

“You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.” 
(Psalm 16:2)

This is a good way to start my week.