Set Free

Today was a day that again demonstrated the unity and security as a family that we have in Christ.

As I was cleaning up in kids min with my primary cohort, the worship music strained softly in the background. Caitlyn and I heard one of our favorites, and joined in together at the same time, singing every word of "I Love to Tell the Story" by heart. It was so sweet, and shows that we are indeed a singing church.

Later, I went to coffee at one of those coffee shops that attempts to force human interaction by having nothing but long tables with lots of chairs. I was sitting reading To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain (Matt Chandler and Jared Wilson) with my Bible on the table when an old man sat down near me. He asked what I was learning lately. I told him about the book I was reading - a walk through Philippians - and how I'd been meditating on Romans 8:1-2 -

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 

He asked how those two thoughts went together. I said that I was thinking about what it really means to have been set free. I think that Paul gives the answer to the church at Philippi when he says that to live is Christ and to die is gain. To live is to have more joy in our heart than when their wine and grain abound and to die is to see Him face to face. That's freedom.

We talked a little while longer about God's grace and I came away amazed at how much I have in common with this stranger because of Jesus. And I can know that I'll see him again; it'll be in scenes of glory when we sing the new, new song/'twill be the old, old story that we have loved so long