Free from Sin
"Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 99I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. 100I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. 101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. 102I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. 103How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:97-104).
The new year has happened. This is being written on Jan 1, 2026 in an effort to fully enjoy the day filled with exercise to show myself I still can, food to counter the exercise, and fun with the big game between Tech and Oregon and the others in the expanded college playoff set up. Black-eyed peas have been consumed on both sides of the midnight hour for good luck (even-numbered years have been a nemesis since 2018, the year of the gypsy curse and moving forward from there).
Psalm 119 is the psalm for Sunday, the Second Sunday of Christmas, but in light of the significance of this year specifically, we should take to heart our founding as a nation which we celebrate through the 250th celebration of the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the impact that document has had on our faith in 2026. Oh, you might ask, what impact is that?
The paradigm shift was and still is dramatic from a paper that covers one page of parchment, signatures included. The opening lines are worth memorizing and knowing the source of origin and how it changed the world, ours and other nations. To learn it is an objective that every citizen should do (this social studies' teacher said) and to know its impact, meaning, and continued relevance is foundational piece to our existence in this democratic republic we enjoy and are privileged to live in.
We are, however, citizens of two worlds, and our citizenship in both frees us. In this world, we are free to live a life that is productive and driven by our own vision of how to grow and live a life dedicated to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In God's kingdom, we are commanded to pursue a life aligned with God's Word. Our psalmist today speaks (and has been speaking of since verse one) of delighting in God's Word.
God's Word is our source of true freedom. Paul writes in Galatians 5: "13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
We are freed from being slaves to sin to live our lives as servants in Christ. That is true freedom, to be freed to learn God's Word to be better informed servants of Christ. Our freedoms in this world give us choices. Our freedom in Christ gives us the ability to serve one another in his Word and moving out from there.
Pray we learn about our freedoms as citizens in this world and use them to serve our faith. Pray we truly serve Christ and love one another as we love ourselves.