“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”  Galatians 2:20-21 NIV

Driving out of the prison gates with my son on his release date, I watched the guard lift the gate that held my son between imprisonment and freedom. As we drove through the opened gate, the guard told my son, “Remember Galatians 2:20”. All I had time to say at that moment was an earnest thank you and off we drove.

I often reflect on that poignant moment and think about what the guard was saying to my son. Was he reminding him of the love Christ has for us? Was he reminding him as a believer he lives in freedom from condemnation? Was he reminding him that life in Christ is a gift and cannot be earned? Or was he reminding him that he did not have to live in his own power, but by the power of Christ?  I suppose I will never know exactly what the guard meant but I do know that what he said was the most important thing that someone could have said at that moment.  It was a moment of rebirth from imprisonment to freedom.  Much like the rebirth one experiences when they learn who Christ is and accepts Him as their Lord and Savior.

Father, How can we thank you enough for what Christ did by freeing us from the burden of sin? We thank you for the fountain of Your power within us through Christ Jesus and in His name we pray.  Amen.

Written for Seasons: Perception, Cornerstone Fellowship Chandler, AZ