Free Faith

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

We had one of the best Christmas Eve services at Erin last Sunday night. Families flocked to the church and filled the place with gladness and goodwill. The singing was tremendous and, as one person told me afterwards, when the congregation started with “O Come All Ye Faithful,” it was overwhelmingly full of faith and joy. I think everyone in the service would have given the angels on the hillsides of Bethlehem a hard act to follow.

People felt free to express their faith through the wonderful music and traditional carols. The large amount of families and young children who attended the service brought a lot of pride and joy to my heart. That very morning, many of the youngsters performed their simple Nativity play, which brought a lump to our throats and tears to our eyes. It was just a perfect way to begin Christmas. It was just a beautiful time to rejoice in the Lord.

We live in a wonderful country. It isn’t perfect by any means, but the people here truly understand what it means to be free. I personally think that having faith in Jesus and being empowered by the Holy Spirit are what sustains this freedom. I’m not saying that we’re better or superior to everyone else. I’m not stating that we’re more holy and saintly than any other country. I just believe that the true mixture of faith and freedom that we presently experience can only be encountered by truly rejoicing in Jesus.

That’s what I experienced on Christmas Eve at Erin, and everyone else seemed to feel the same. I hope and pray that we can carry the same Spirit within us each and everyday until Christmas rolls around again next year. Perhaps if we succeed in that, peace and joy may spread across the world at last.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for a truly enjoyable Christmas and for bringing so many families to church from all over the country. May the presence and experience of Your Holy Spirit reign in our hearts and minds. Help us to share what we experienced of heaven that night, with all whom we encounter each day on earth. In Your Holy and Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.