This Week's Lectionary Texts
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 or Zechariah 9:9-12
Psalm 45: 10-17 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13 or Psalm 145:8-14
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

This Week's Reflection
This Sunday is the day before the 4th of July, the celebration of Independence for we Americans. As a preacher, I never know how to connect our worship of God to our patriotism as citizens of the U.S.A.

One of my all-time favorite bands is Five Iron Frenzy and they have an incredible song of worship called "Every New Day." The song has absolutely nothing to do with the 4th of July; however, there is this one line that always comes to my mind when commentators start reflecting on freedom at this time of year.

"Freedom is love without condition, without a beginning or an end."

I don't have words to explain why I think of this every 4th of July, but I know that the freedom I feel in God's love is more spectacular than any fireworks display I've ever seen.

That freedom somehow means that Paul could have moments when his pride fell away and he had to admit that sin often got the better of him regardless of how much he hated it and didn't want to fall into those same traps again and again. As upsetting as this state of being seems to be for Paul, the fact of the matter is that God loves us so much that we have freedom - freedom to completely screw up over and over again and God still loves us without condition. And, as Paul reminds us, our love for God may not lead to perfection, but it certainly leads to some heartache for the ways in which we let God down.

Isn't it completely awesome that even though we find ourselves doing this again and again that God makes every single day brand new again? What could be a greater freedom than that?

This Week's Artwork
in order of appearance in the reflection
Eusthenopteron by Kaori Watanabe
Ukulele Lesson by Paige Wallis