We have been set free by Christ to fly with him.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Jesus answered them,
‘I can guarantee this truth:
Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin.
A slave doesn’t live in the home forever, but a son does.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free.'”
John 8:34-36 God’s Word to the Nations

Tracy Aviary, Salt Lake City, Utah

This Macaw didn’t look happy in its very large and comfortable cage at the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, Utah. These birds are well-kept even though they live in a cage far from their Central and South American homes. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any of them when I visited Peru, though I did see relatives fly overhead every night as Amazon parrots migrated to their nighttime roost.

Macaws are known for being noisy, but no amount of noise could set this parrot free.

Its beak is strong enough to crack large nuts, but it could not break this steel rod.

This Macaw’s condition is similar to our’s. Try as we might we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. We are caged by our sin and incapable of breaking ourselves free. We might consider ourselves good people. Our friends, relatives and neighbors might consider us good people. But good is not good enough when it comes to sin’s captivating power.

All is not hopeless for this bird. It doesn’t have to stay in its captivity forever. Someone on the outside might set it free.

The same is true for us. Though we have been caged by sin, Christ has set us free. For as Jesus told the Jews who had believed in him, “If the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free.” His death and his resurrection have set us free. Today doesn’t have to be like every other day because the door has been unlocked and we’re set free to fly with him.

Four hundred and ninety-nine years ago ninety-five theses for debate where nailed to the Schlosskirche, or, Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther had discovered that we cannot free ourselves from sin, but that God, in Christ Jesus has set us free. With this knowledge, his life radically changed. History radically changed.

Change happens when Christ sets us free.

Text and Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner