Freedom is a word we love to use to describe our western civilisation. We all remember Braveheart’s Mel Gibson as William Wallace yelling “They can take our lives, but they will never take our freedom”. Freedom is important to us, no matter where we live. Now as Lockdown rules are being relaxed we are no doubt looking forward to the freedoms we took very much for granted not so long ago. Freedom of speech is also an area which concerns us all, will we be able to be free to communicate with others as we have been used to, or is this about to be curtailed also?
Many of our Mission International partners have not enjoyed the freedoms we have in the UK. In one Islamic country where MI has a partner a family member has been jailed for 25 years and fined $1000 for allegedly burning a page of the Koran, when in fact he was burning old receipts in his shop yard, but as a Christian in that environment, his pleas were ignored. He is currently about 10 years into his sentence. In another country our partner, a Christian pastor, is forbidden from preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ to any of the Islamic community that he lives amongst. His freedoms are curtailed also.
Whether in Myanmar, where a Military Coup has removed the democratically elected government, or in Malawi, where Covid police brutally enforce lockdown, or in India where the extreme Hindus are brutalising and killing Christians, or in Pakistan where enslaved Christian brick factory workers are held for generations until the exorbitant interest is paid on small emergency loans, then we can see that our freedom is to be valued and encouraged.
As Christians the ultimate freedom; freedom from sin, is the Good News we proclaim. Our Saviour Jesus Christ has made it possible for those who turn to Him to have their sins forgiven and their eternity secured. The ultimate fellon; death, has been subdued and freedom has been won for those who turn to Christ. We similarly to William Wallace can declare “You can take my life, but you can’t take my freedom”!
Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hugh Henderson MBE CEO Mission International |