Live as free men… live as servants of God. (1Peter 2:16)

Giving freedom in marriage means I allow my spouse to be different from me, to be unique. Freedom means not dwelling on past hurts. It means not being fearful about the future, but being committed to living in the present. Freedom means learning to relax and enjoy life with one another. It means not fearing rejection or a withdrawal of love. Freedom means living in liberty in all that we share – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Living as a free person in my marriage and as a servant of God means freely submitting myself to God and to my spouse yet living life to the fullest. It means seizing the opportunity to enjoy my spouse and my family.

True freedom means I can live and love liberally and yet I am constrained by the love of Christ. What an awesome thought: Christianity isn’t about what I can’t do, but about all God has provided. God has given me a tremendous gift in my spouse. It’s up to me to focus on enjoying God’s gift.

A free man is under no obligation and is not motivated by fear. Such is the Christian’s heritage. God’s grace frees me from the bondage of performance, and security in Christ frees me from the fear of His judgment or rejection. Because of the gift of such love, I now have something to share with others, beginning with my spouse. I can share grace and acceptance, not fear and rejection.

Q. How will knowing you are a free man or woman in Christ motivate you to love your spouse and freely give to him/her?

PRAYER: Lord, help me to seize those opportunities to enjoy my spouse and my family. I want to live as a free person, not bound to work or ministry. I want to be free from anger, guilt, and fear. I want to be free to love my spouse and give myself freely to him/her. Amen.