This past Advent month, we’ve reflected on the various aspects of a life in Christ: hope, peace, love, and joy. Central to all is the gift of freedom from the world. This week’s reflection reminds us of our freedom through God’s gift of Christ:

IN WORD –It is a wonderful freedom that we just don’t think about and discuss enough. It liberates you from the stress, fear, and anxiety that so many people live with every day. It is a sweet gift of grace that is given to you right here, right now. You never could have found it on your own. You never could have earned or achieved it. You still can’t stand before God and say that you deserve it. It is a gift that is not to be ignored or misunderstood.
You have been given Christ, and in being given Christ, you have been given life. You don’t need to search for meaning and purpose. You don’t need to search for identity. You don’t need to look for something to give you the inner sense of well-being that every person wants. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll ever be loved. You don’t have to worry that your life and work will result in nothing. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll have what you need to face what will be on your plate today. You don’t have to worry about your future. You will never be left to the limited range of your own resources. You will never, ever be left alone. There is always someone who understands you and offers you the help that you need. You don’t have to worry about whether your wrongs will be forgiven and your weaknesses greeted with patience and grace. You don’t have to worry, because you have a Savior who has invaded your life with His grace and has made you the place where He dwells.
So you have been freed from the endless quest for life that consumes so many people. So many look for life where it cannot be found. They hope their marriages will give them the happiness they have not yet found. They look to their jobs to give them identity. They look to people and possessions to give them peace. They don’t know it, but they are asking the situations, locations, and relationships of everyday life to be their saviors. Sadly, they’re drinking from wells that are dry and eating bread that will never satisfy. The situations, locations, and relationships of daily life are wonderful to enjoy, but we must understand that they will never, ever satisfy our hearts. For that, we have been given a true Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
IN DEED – So instead of wasting time on that endless quest for life, you have been invited to enter into God’s rest for the rest of your life. Rest in your identity as His child. Rest in His eternal love. Rest in His powerful grace. Rest in His constant presence and faithful provision. Rest in His patience and forgiveness. Rest. “If Christ is your life, you are free from the desperate quest to find life in situations, locations, and relationships.” – Paul David Tripp (in “New Morning Mercies” by Paul David Tripp)

You ever wonder why Jesus was born as a carpenter’s son in a manger instead of the best hospital? Why was Jesus born as a marginalized minority instead of a citizen of the most powerful nation in the world? And why was the Good News given to shepherds instead of the rich and powerful? One of the main reasons was to proclaim that all of the things the world strives for are just vanities.
We have hope in Christ, we have peace in Christ, we have love in Christ, and we have joy in Christ. We have them now in part, but one day, we will enjoy it 24/7 for all eternity. Nothing can ever take these away from us. This is true freedom.
Are you in need of a reminder? Take time to read John 2 – 8 this week and reflect on how Jesus challenges worldly assumptions, offering the true gift of freedom. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you experience true rest in Jesus as you are freed from the world’s burdens and strivings. May you experience the true gift of Christmas this week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam