"Joyless Labor"

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" ~ Galatians 5:1

We generally take for granted the blessing of freedom because most of us have never lived a single day without it. Thank the Lord for guiding our founding fathers in seeking, defending, and preserving our freedom as a nation. They labored much and sacrificed greatly for the divine purpose that God had given them. While we were all born under the same blanket of freedom which they so tirelessly provided, we have ultimately the same choice today that they had - freedom or slavery? Slavery can be miserable, but we can get comfortable in it because we know what to expect, while freedom carries much uncertainty, and is therefore risky. The early American patriots were willing to die rather than return to the slavery under the rule of a tyrant. For Christians, Christ has set us free, but the devil is always there trying to draw us back into the miserable comfort of what we knew. We must choose freedom, and be willing to labor to preserve it. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about the "Joyless Labor" described by Solomon, who seemingly saw no purpose to all his toils because he didn't submit to God. When we know that God has set us free for us to work within that freedom, it brings joy to whatever we do. Join us as we consider the purpose He has given us.