Gracious God,
As our nation celebrates freedom this week, we especially thank you for the freedom to worship you openly and gather in your name without fear or oppression. We thank you for all who have given their lives to make that freedom possible.
As Christians, we also come before today, grateful for the gift of freedom that we have been given through Jesus Christ our Lord. He has made us truly free.
Lord Jesus, you have freed us from sin, shame, guilt, and fear.
You have broken the chains of condemnation.
You have set us free from the weight of perfectionism,
From the tyranny of others' expectations,
From the need to earn God’s love.
You have freed us from the grip of the past,
and you continually remind us that God’s grace and your love don’t have any limits.
But you didn't just set us free from—
You set us free to.
Because of your Lord Jesus, we are free, indeed.
We are free to love and be loved.
We are free to forgive and be forgiven.
We are free to walk in peace, to live in joy,
We are free to serve with courage and speak with compassion.
We are free to rest in your presence,
We are free to follow where you lead.
And you have called us and given us the freedom to serve others with joy.
We are free to serve the poor and lift up the brokenhearted.
We are free to visit the sick and comfort the weary.
We are free to seek justice for the oppressed and dignity for the forgotten.
We are free to welcome the stranger and care for the outcast.
We are free to tell those who feel unworthy that they are fully known and fully loved by you.
May our freedom in Christ be kingdom-serving instead of self-serving.
May we delight in the freedom to love you and to serve you with heart, mind, body, soul, and strength.
In the name of the One who sets us free and makes all things new,
Amen.