free to love

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to never use our freedom to do whatever we want to do, for that is not freedom.  Freedom comes through loving and serving, not through manipulating and demanding.  Help us to find our freedom in you.  Amen. 

Scripture: Galatians 5:13

Journal: What is freedom?  How do you define it?  How do you know when you are really free?

Reflection: “It’s absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life.  Just make sure you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom.  Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. (Gal. 5:13, The Message)

     Where did we ever get the idea that freedom was doing whatever the hell we wanted to do.  It is not!  Freedom is about love and care.  Freedom is about the ability to stop being so self-centered and self-consumed that we are finally able to love and serve those around us, rather than extort love out of them.  We are free men and women when having our own needs met is not the driving force behind all of our relationships and behavior.  For only then are we really free to love.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to live as free men and women: free to love, rather than demanding to be loved; free to serve, rather than demanding to be served; and free to be others-centered, rather than constantly being self-centered.  In other words, help us to be like you.  Amen.