Verse of the Day - Romans 6:22

But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.
~ Romans 6:22 (NLT)

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There are two components to this verse, and sometimes, I don't think we "get" either one.

Free from the power of sin...

As believers in Jesus Christ, the invisible chains to sin are gone. But do we live like that? Do we recognize and act on the fact that we are no longer bound to and obligated to obey the sinful nature? Often not, I think. The temptations are there, but we have the freedom to say 'no', to push away from the donuts, the porno magazines, the alcohol -- whatever it is that causes us to sin. But do we? I think somehow we don't always have a clear understanding of the radical change that has come over us when we are filled with the Spirit of God. It is spiritual, which means it's intangible and sometimes forgettable, but it's real -- and we need to recognize!

Slaves to God...

Becoming a slave is not usually considered a good thing. But being chained to God and realizing that our lives are not our own any longer really is a good thing for us! But do we live like this? Do we do whatever He asks of us because we're His slaves? Do we say, "How high?" when He asks us to jump, or do we forget our new position, and say, "I'll get back to you on that one..."?

We are free, yet we are chained. It's not a contradiction, but rather a trade. Freedom, then, is a mystery for those who follow Christ. We say that Jesus sets us free when we choose to believe in Him, but we're not really free -- not free to do as we please, that is -- we just have a different master. But the good news is that our new master is a true jewel, a good king, a lover of our souls. Out of love and thankfulness, we should welcome our chains of connectedness to Him, and obey His commands out of the utmost respect, gratitude and love.

We all have chains. Some chains cause pain and guilt and are tied to a wicked master, but some chains bring joy and peace and are tied to the one and only Good Master. Believers in Jesus need to look down and recognize who and what is holding them in this life -- and then live large in that beautiful, divine reality!

The lyrics to "I'm Feelin' Good" should be our anthem, as believers in Jesus! Take a listen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSK9kkM7GL4

Love,
Joelene