Weekly Devotion

July 27 2020

" So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:38

July is one of my favorite months, mainly because it is a month of celebrations for my family. Several
family birthdays are in July, too. Our family’s celebrations include food, fellowship, and fireworks, so
many things that I enjoy are included. Of course those things are expressions of and not the reason for
our celebration. We celebrate parents and children and the impact they have on our lives and in the
world. We celebrate because Independence Day is our nation’s birthday, a nation based on the ideals of
liberty, responsibility, and the freedom to become what God intended us to become. Ultimately,
freedom is the key motivation for our celebration as a nation. As Christians, we find our freedom in
Christ.

As Jennifer and I traveled back from Kentucky this past week, one small town had a van sitting by the
roadside with a strange object on the top. As we sped closer, the strange object on top flashed brightly
and I noted that my speed was about 10 miles over the speed limit. While I still do not know what will
come of that strobe (perhaps a full blown picture of Jennifer and me), I do know I felt ashamed to be
caught driving too quickly.

Isn’t that quite like our entire lives? As humans we try to do the right thing, but we are often caught in
sin. We fail to make the right choices and the shame of our failure stays with us. Our fear is that we
have been caught and we wait for our shame to be revealed. Yet in Jesus we find a freedom because we
are redeemed by him. Our sin and our guilt yield to eternal life in him, so that we rise above our
condemnation and live for Christ. So, let us give thanks to God who gives us freedom indeed!

Rev. Kerry Powell
Batesville First United Methodist Church