Read: John 8:31-36
I grew up on the eastern foothills of Mount Tirad, a 1,154 meter high mountain near the city of Candon, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The mountain is significant to Philippine history because it was the site of the 1899 Battle of Tirad Pass, where a Philippine hero, the young General Gregorio del Pilar, along with most of his men, were killed during the Filipino-American War.
Freedom is not free, it is costly. It requires the shedding of sweat, blood, and, the ultimate cost, life. But even though countless wars have been fought in the name of freedom, and many countries and peoples have gained freedom from their colonizers and oppressors, wars are still being fought, and wars are to stay until the ultimate government comes.
This perfect kingdom and government is of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Revelation 11:15, “”Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” One day all the nations and rulers will be no more, for Christ will establish His rule, and there will be no more oppression, inequality, discrimination, greed, and all kinds of human ills that are the root causes of wars and conflicts.
Until then we shall continue to see, as we are witnessing now, all the hardships and heartaches humanity is ailing with – poverty, displacement, hunger, abuse of all kinds, and the entire gamut of human suffering.
As we looked in our previous devotionals, suffering is the aftermath of the Fall, a product of sin. To give humanity a chance at freedom from sin, Christ paid the ultimate price – His very own life. His death was meant not for political freedom but for spiritual freedom. God was going for the root of all evil and suffering, sin. Without sin being dealt with, there would be no end to wars and conflicts. Max Lucado, in his book, Because of Bethlehem, said, the “The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.” The heart of man is the thing that needs freeing. Freedom from the slavery of sin and from the hold of the enemy.
By dying on the cross and through His resurrection, He undid the power of sin. Man, through Him, may now be liberated and be free from greed, hatred, lust of the eyes and flesh, jealousy, and all other manifestations of sin’s mastery over man.
I want to encourage you today to look forward to the perfect kingdom of Christ. May your spirit groan inwardly as you wait for Christ’s return. This hope in Christ not only makes us hopeful and resilient in this world, it produces an abundant and faithful service in us, and makes us live a compassionate, grateful, and thoughtful life here on earth. Think of how you can help others experience, too, the freedom that is in Christ.
Reflect:
We are blessed to be living in a first world country, where, to a great extent, we are spared from many grievous ails our fellow human beings are suffering, such as those who have been displaced by wars. We sleep soundly at night in our warm beds, not worrying about rockets that might fall on us, not alarmed by the blaring sounds of military weapons. We have leftovers and we discard spoiled food. Think of all the other blessings you have. Most especially, think about your spiritual freedom in Christ. The enemy no longer has a hold on you. You know his lies. You’re freed from his enslavement. Take time to reflect on these things. And say a prayer unto God.
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