Freedom

"God gave them up," Romans 1:24,26,28.

What means, Give up? Does it mean like, seeing that you've lost a wrestling match, so you give up? Or like, you've had enough of the thing, so you just give up trying altogether? Or like, you don't get the riddle, so you give up to get the right answer? No, no, and no. When God gives up, it doesn't mean anything remotely similar. To get what God gives up on, it helps to see who the them are that God gives up on: people who refuse to acknowledge God as God, but who prefer to bow down to gods (or even not-gods) of their own making. (In other words: us.) God gives up and hands these folks over to freedom. Freedom to do whatever we please ... and to live with unfiltered consequences of these pleasures. It's a scary thing to be the recipient of God's giving up.

Today, with a brother or sister, we remind each other who God is, creator of heaven and earth, undisputed lover of humankind. Even after we received the consequences, God yet redeemed us with Christ Jesus. And, together, we give him thanks for not giving us up for ever.