Remember When You Were Set Free

Monday, July 4

1 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

Psalm 114:1-2 (ESV)

Remember When You Were Set Free

One of the terms used often during the Olympics by television sports commentators is dual citizenship. One athlete with dual citizenship was a swimmer named Martin Zubero. He was born in the United States, where he has lived nearly all of his life. He attended the University of Florida and trained for competition in the U.S. However, he was swimming under the colors of Spain. Why? His father is a citizen of Spain and so Martin is too. At the Olympics, he chose to represent his father’s nation, to which he felt greater allegiance.

Christians too have dual citizenship. We are citizens of this world, no matter what nation we live in, and as followers of Christ we are also citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). We have all the rights and privileges that accompany being a child of God. He is not only our heavenly Father but our King, and our first loyalty must be to His kingdom. (D. C. Egner)

As a nation we are celebrating our political freedom today. And as believers we celebrate our spiritual freedom. In Psalm 114, the psalmist reminds the nation of Israel when God granted them political freedom from Egypt. Our spiritual freedom was purchased by Jesus on the cross. Our spiritual freedom is of even greater importance and value than our earthly freedom. Jesus said in John 8:38, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Reflection
Who of your friends and family has paid the ultimate price in service to our country? How is what Jesus did for us similar and different from the sacrifice our service members make?

Praise/Prayer
Praise Jesus for the ultimate price He paid for your sins. Pray for people in our nation who don’t have spiritual freedom in Christ to hear the gospel.

Tuesday, July 5

3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?

Psalm 114: 3-5 (ESV)

Remember When You Were Set Free: The Red Sea

Benedict Arnold is best known for his defection to the British army during the Revolutionary War. Before becoming the very symbol of treachery, Arnold was a celebrated military leader, and his service (if not his name) is remembered by New York’s Boot Monument. Located in Saratoga National Park, the Boot Monument manages to acknowledge Arnold’s time as a soldier without ever honoring the man himself. Arnold’s fighting career actually ended at the Battle of Saratoga where his leg was severely wounded. While the leg healed, it was not long after that Arnold betrayed his fellows and joined the British. It’s said that a captured American soldier told Arnold that the leg wounded while fighting for America would be honored while the rest of him would simply be hung. The monument is inscribed with the following quote: “In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army who was desperately wounded on this spot.” (atlasobscura.com)

Monuments help us remember significant people and events. The parting of the Red Sea was a monument to God’s supernatural deliverance of the children of Israel from Pharaoh. The mention of the Red Sea in the Bible is a constant reminder of the freedom God’s people have. Much like Independence Day is a reminder of our nation’s struggle for freedom, the cross reminds us of the price Jesus paid to purchase our spiritual freedom. Pastor Jim reminded us in the sermon that we should never forget the significance of what Jesus did for us.

Reflection

What are some regular reminders in your life of what Jesus has done for you?

Praise/Prayer

Thank God for the eternal impact of what Jesus did for you and the security of your salvation. Pray that our church and nation would honor God and not forget the blessings He has poured out on us.

Wednesday, July 6

3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?

Psalm 114:3-5 (ESV)

Remember When You Were Set Free: The Jordan River

A hurricane had struck. People were huddled together. A preacher was praying with great oratorical effects in the midst of this violent storm, crying out “Send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the Promised land.” At this, an old man with less oratory but more directness prayed, “Lord, don’t send nobody. Come yourself. This ain’t no time for children.”

When God led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, He parted the Jordan River and they crossed on dry land. Ever since, the Jordan River has been a symbolic reminder of God fulfilling His promise to deliver Israel from Egypt into the Promised Land. The Promised Land was a land filled with milk and honey and God’s best blessings.

Reflection

God’s ultimate Promised Land is eternity in heaven with Him. What do you most look forward to about heaven?

Praise/Prayer

Praise God for always keeping His promises. Ask God to help you invest in people and things with eternal value.

Thursday, July 7

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

Psalm 114: 7-8 (ESV)

Remember When You Were Set Free: Worship Him

Petty Officer Douglas Albert Munro was awarded The Medal of Honor  as a result of his actions on September 27, 1942. Munro, in charge of a group of 24 Higgins boats, engaged in the evacuation of a battalion of marines trapped by enemy Japanese forces at Point Cruz Guadalcanal. After making preliminary plans for the evacuation of nearly 500 beleaguered marines, Munro, under constant strafing by enemy machine guns on the island, and at great risk of his life, daringly led 5 of his small craft toward the shore. As he closed the beach, he signaled the others to land, and then in order to draw the enemy’s fire and protect the heavily loaded boats, he valiantly placed his craft with its 2 small guns as a shield between the beachhead and the Japanese. When the perilous task of evacuation was nearly completed, Munro was instantly killed by enemy fire, but his crew, 2 of whom were wounded, carried on until the last boat had loaded and cleared the beach. By his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and dauntless devotion to duty, he and his courageous comrades undoubtedly saved the lives of many who otherwise would have perished. He gallantly gave his life for his country. (Scott Jensen)

We honor the people who have sacrificed on our behalf. The proper response to what God has done for us is to worship Him. The psalmist reminds Israel to tremble at the awesome and powerful presence of God. The Apostle Paul taught in Romans 7 that it was right to give honor and respect to our respectable leaders. In addition, when we see governing authorities behaving dishonorably; abusing power; enacting unjust policies; being and doing what is wrong; not good then we pray against their policies and practices.  We pray that unjust laws be overturned.

Reflection

Who are some of the dishonorable leaders you can recall from your lifetime? Who are some of the honorable leaders you can recall from your lifetime? What made them honorable?

Prayer/Praise

Praise God for the leaders in recent days who have led with honor and respect. Pray that our local and national leaders would support policies that honor God.

 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

Psalm 114: 7-8 (ESV) 

Remember When You Were Set Free: Water from the Rock

Several years ago, a fire destroyed a building that contained tons of ice. Author Carl Franke said that although the building had contained thousands of gallons of potential extinguisher, the water was not in usable form. The building was full of frozen assets! Unfortunately, many individuals and churches have a similar problem. In spite of being blessed with tons of resources for witness and service, God’s chosen people are often God’s “frozen people.” We are to season society and light up our world for Christ. It’s time to thaw out the frozen assets in our lives. (Joanie Yoder)

Psalm 114:8 was a reminder of God miraculously providing water to His people from a rock in spite of their complaining at Massah and Meribah. God had delivered them from Egypt but they still doubted and still weren’t obeying. They had taken their blessings for granted. We learned in the sermon that we should live in the freedom and blessings that Jesus has given us and not waste them or take them for granted.

Reflection

What are things in your life that might be signs you are taking your Christian freedom for granted?

Praise/Prayer

Thank God for giving you the opportunity to use your freedom for good and for God. Ask God to help you change any wasted areas of compromise in your life.