“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1)
We have been set free by Christ, Paul writes to us in his letter to Galatians.
While it might just seem like a nice thing Paul says, it’s an important reminder too.
While it might just seem like a nice thing Paul says, it’s an important reminder too.
You are set free.
Free from illness
Free from depression
Free from fear
Free from whatever it is that is enslaving you.
You have been set free.
Christ is constantly coming into our lives and breaking the chains which entrap us.
But sometimes, I think we don’t see it.
We get stuck in our fear, in our sadness, in our shame.
And we willingly let those chains bind us up yet again.
We get stuck in our fear, in our sadness, in our shame.
And we willingly let those chains bind us up yet again.
This is what Paul warns against.
“Stand firm”
The Greek word is “steko” and it means to stand against, to persevere.
“Stand firm”
The Greek word is “steko” and it means to stand against, to persevere.
Do not submit again to the life you had before Christ.
You are free!
You are free!
My stepdad sent me this picture in an email this week.
He’s always finding me pictures or videos that he thinks might be helpful for my ministry… It’s awesome.
He’s always finding me pictures or videos that he thinks might be helpful for my ministry… It’s awesome.
This, to me, fits so well with this verse.
I know many might see it as a picture about perspective, but to me it’s a reminder that I was once a prisoner, but now I am some thing different.
I know many might see it as a picture about perspective, but to me it’s a reminder that I was once a prisoner, but now I am some thing different.
I have been set free.
The chains that hold me back have been broken, and there is nothing that can stop me now.
Boy do I need that reminder.
I need to have this picture in my head.
Because let’s be honest, life sucks sometimes.
It’s easy to sink back into despair,
into shame,
into fear or anger.
But then I remember Paul saying “steko”
Persevere.
Stay strong.
But then I remember Paul saying “steko”
Persevere.
Stay strong.
Don’t submit to the old ways.
Don’t go back.
Christ has come.
You have been set free.
You have been set free.
So fly.
Revel in your freedom.
See you Sunday.
Natalia
P.S. Do you ever have those moments where you aren’t sure you spelled a word right even though it doesn’t show up on spell check as wrong so you look it up to make sure?
I did that with revel. And yes, I spelled it correctly, but better than that was the definition of revel that Google gave me: “to enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.”
Um…. Ok! Sounds good to me!
Let freedom revelry begin!
One thought on “Friday Uplift, 1/23/2015”
Thanks, Natalia—love reading these. Puts things in the right perspective! 🙂 -Heidi Grell
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