Freedom to Worship and Serve

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BY PATRICE TSAGUE

How would you define freedom?
What does it mean to have true freedom?
Do you know the source and purpose of this freedom?

Freedom to Worship and Serve

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
U.S. Declaration of Independence

These words are at the core of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and they continue to resonate in the hearts of Americans to this day, speaking to the freedom that has characterized America since 1776.

A little over a decade after 1776, the French Revolution began in Europe, catalyzing a movement that has dramatically altered the structure of governments and society in modern times. The French equated freedom with unrestrained behavior, viewing ultimate liberty as the ability not to be controlled by God or governing authorities. In its most extreme form, though, this form of “liberty” equates to anarchy.

The book of Exodus in the Bible tells the story of the Israelites suffering under the oppression of Pharaoh. They were subjected to slavery and were not able to experience freedom. During that time, the Israelites turned to God, crying out for help and deliverance.

God heard their cries and instructed his servant Moses to go to Pharaoh.

Clearly, this desire for freedom is powerful and innately built into the human heart, spirit, and psyche. It forms the foundation for government, fuels the fire of rebellion against authority, and causes people to call upon God in desperation.

But – what is true freedom? When humanity attempts to circumvent God in their pursuit of freedom, they can miss freedom entirely. True freedom is not found in attempts to become our own gods or to operate without rule or authority, as many involved in the French Revolution believed.

Neither is true freedom found in opportunities to gain as much wealth and material possessions as possible, as American consumerism would have us believe.

On the contrary, true freedom is found when we are free to serve a purpose that is much higher, deeper, and wider than ourselves. True freedom is realized when we are no longer being controlled by any human restriction that hinders us from using our gifts and skills to honor and worship God.

The true biblical definition of freedom is the ability to use our gifts, skills, and wealth, according to the will of God and without restriction, to worship and serve God. Prior to their release from bondage in Egypt, God’s people were enslaved. They were subject to their need to make a living and did not have any excess time or wealth to give back to God for His Kingdom’s purposes. They were like many of us are today, not having the margin to fully serve God through the use of all of our gifts and talents. 

God saw the state of His people while they were in bondage to Pharaoh. He brought them out of Egypt and into a place of freedom where they could serve and worship Him. He gave them land, resources, and wealth, and when He did, He instructed them, “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)

It is dangerous to have freedom without knowing its source and purpose!

Those who do not know the biblical purpose of freedom tend to abuse their freedom to satisfy the lust of their flesh. They think that their wealth comes from their intelligence and skill, forgetting the One who made them who they are and who has blessed the work of their hands.

When the Lord blesses us with freedom, we should understand that:

1. Wealth and freedom are intricately tied together
2. Wealth gives us the freedom to do what we really want to do
3. Our ability to obtain wealth is from the Lord and the Lord alone
4. Wealth removes the constraints or limitations we have in our lives
5. The single reason that God enables us to have more than we need for our daily necessities (wealth) is so that we may have freedom
6. The true and biblical purpose of wealth is to set us free to worship and serve God, by using our time, talents, and treasure without restriction to advance His kingdom

My prayer for you today is that you would recognize the freedom that God has given you and that you will use that freedom to worship and serve Him, turning away from the temptation to satisfy your fleshly desires and instead using your freedom to advance God’s Kingdom.