This past weekend, on Memorial Day, we took time out of our schedules to remember those who sacrificed, fought, and sometimes even, given their lives to assure the freedom that we have as a nation. It was another reminder that Freedom isn't Free. These brave men and women fought for freedoms that most of us have known and appreciated and yet sometimes have taken for granted. Freedoms like the freedom of speech, the freedom to assemble, and the freedom to make choices of education, vocation, and recreation. And the one that is most significant to me is the freedom of religion, unencumbered by government regulations and control.

We are seeing those freedoms taken away at an alarming rate. This is not a critique of the current administration; we are to pray for all of those in authority, that they would seek God and follow Him, and that God would give them wisdom and protection. With the birth of "Political Correctness", which some would trace back to a misinterpretation in the early 1980's of a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we have seen our "freedoms" being redefined. With the introduction of "hate-crime bills", we are seeing our freedom of speech being taken away. Our government is rapidly taking over businesses. When the CEO of GM can be fired by a government order we can't deny the fact that there are far-reaching implications. And the government is chipping away at our religious freedoms under the banner of "tolerance". http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=98895

When I see these freedoms being taken away I can't help but think about how most of those heros who fought for our freedoms would feel about this. But then I am reminded that freedom only has one source. Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:31&32, 36

God has blessed our nation because we honored Him. If our freedoms are taken away it will not be because of activist judges or political parties (God uses these as pawns in His sovereign will: i.e. Pharaoh with the Israelites in slavery, the Babylonians and Assyrian empires to bring God's discipline on the nations of Israel and Judah, or even the role Pilate played in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross), if we lose our freedoms it will only be because God has allowed them to be taken away.

So what should our response as Christians be to this erosion of freedoms in our nation?
1. Pray, don't panic. Again, God is in charge, and He has honored "a faithful remnant" who will bring our petitions to Him. God was going to save Sodom and Gomorrah if only 10 were found faithful to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says that if God's people will humble themselves and pray that God will forgive their sins and heal their land. We need to pray daily for our nation.

2. Live what we say we believe. We are not going to change our culture by words, but by actions. We are commanded to be "salt and light" (Matthew 5) in our culture. We need to engage the culture with truth, but there must be integrity to our words. People must see the truth lived out in our lives.

3. Vote based on our biblical convictions. When we talk about the separation of church and state it means that the government won't get involved in our religion but it doesn't mean that we won't get involved in government. We don't put our hope in government, but in God, and that doesn't exclude us from engaging in the political process.

4. Rest in God's sovereignty. Our ultimate freedom isn't free either. Jesus died on the cross to set us free, and if God's love is that great, then what do I have to fear?