Freedom!

Ephesians 3:12-13

There's been a few movies (major understatement!) made about fighting for freedom. Braveheart immediately comes to mind (side bar: if you ever watch Braveheart as an allegory for the redemption story, it is incredible - right down to betrayal and dying...). 300 also comes to mind - a very stylish, interesting movie if you can get past the women's nipples that seem to show up on a regular basis. But I digress... In these movies it is always the people who desire or need freedom who do the fighting for it. In the redemption story, the people who need freedom don't even realize their need. They have become complacent and content in their slavery just like the nation of Israel in Egypt. Having never experienced freedom, the people think that this slavery is the norm and the best possible life they can have.
Then Jesus comes on the scene. He not only fights for our freedom but dies for it. He didn't need to because he was already free and not encumbered with sin. His relationship in the Trinity was not destroyed. But he still fought for us and died for us so that we could approach God with freedom and confidence. While this is amazing for the nation of Israel, it is even more amazing for me because I was a Gentile - not only was I not free but the history of God's choice made it clear that I had no hope of freedom. Jesus made it possible for me to approach God!
Paul asks his audience not to be discouraged even though it was this message of freedom for the Gentiles that was causing him all the trouble he was facing. Without Paul (a Jew) bringing the message of freedom found in Christ, the Gentiles would still be living in slavery to sin.
God, thank you for your faithful witness all through the ages that made it possible for me to hear the message of freedom! May I continue the chain of faithful witnesses, no matter what hardships and trials I may face, to bring the message of freedom to a people who have remained enslaved.
It makes me wonder which group of "outsiders" God is calling me to bring the message of freedom to...