Pathways Press.com

MEDITATION:

Written by Lawrence W. Althouse, a contemporary Christian author. This is an excerpt from his work “A Distant Second,” published in the “Blount Countian.”

Freedom can be very elusive and fleeting because the dimensions of freedom evolve along with society. The Exodus from Egyptian slavery is one of the great liberation stories of all time. But, the world of 1300 BC (approximate date) was a radically different world from ours. The Israelite escapees made giant steps for human freedom, but they were limited to what was conceivable at the time… We are proud that dissident religious groups came here searching for religious freedom. But that pride must be tempered by the realization that many of the religious groups seeking freedom for themselves established colonies in which it was denied to others. Abraham Lincoln later commented in a letter, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves, and under a just God, cannot long retain it.”

As William Lisle Bowles wrote, “The cause of freedom is the cause of God.” Tyranny, suppression, and injustice are abominations to the God who brought Israel out of Egypt. The conviction that “freedom is for me” must evolve into “freedom is for all.” We are getting there, but we are not there yet. The God who leads us to freedom is above all our human political institutions. Politics should be subservient to religion. Whether we are Republicans or Democrats, Liberals or Conservatives, our highest loyalty must be to God, not our party or ideology. In fact, Christians must be critics and watchdogs of all parties, starting with our own. We will support our party when it is responsive to God’s purpose and criticize it when it is not. The gospel will be our ultimate source of authority, not the ideology of our respective parties. Yet, despite our pretensions as a Christian nation, it is our party spirit and ideology, not the divine teachings of Jesus, that drive our governments at every level. Let Egyptians and Israelites know, as well as Democrats and Republicans: God first, party, a distant second.

PRAYER:

Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), an early Christian theologian, bishop, and philosopher.

Eternal God,

who are the light of the minds that know you,

the joy of the hearts that love you,

and the strength of the wills that serve you;

grant us so to know you

that we may truly love you,

and so to love you

that we may fully serve you,

whom to serve is perfect freedom,

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.