“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.”

There will be a lot of talk about freedom today—unless you’re from England, I guess. Fireworks, cookouts, family, and friends are all part of many people’s celebrations. That’s great. Tomorrow, we get back to the “usual.” In this verse, Solomon gives us the formula for real, deep, and long-lasting freedom. This kind of freedom isn’t determined by government or even life circumstances. It comes from learning and growing in the knowledge of who we are—and whose we are. Paul wrote to the Galatians that they were set free. He went on to encourage them never to be enslaved again by religion and its rules. He tells us that if we are, we are destined to fail. My thinking is this: once the newly formed United States of America won its freedom, how foolish would it have been to turn around and surrender to England? It would have made no sense, and the sacrifices made to win that freedom would have been in vain. In the same way, once Jesus sets us free, how foolish it is to resubmit ourselves to the slavery of sin. As we grow in wisdom and understanding of God we gain freedom we never knew we had. Today, live free and boldly—for the true King of Kings. #BeTheEdge

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬