The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear expects punishment. The person who is afraid has not been made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18

The moon has been spectacular this week, but we’ve been under constant cloud cover around here. Then Thursday night I caught a partial glimpse out on my walk, enough to grab a picture that reminds me of how privileged I am to live in such a place, a secure peaceable neighborhood with sidewalks, where it’s not safe because of security or policing, but because we live in a free country where we respect one another’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I don’t intend to minimize the huge importance of the rule of law when it comes to laying the groundwork for our life here in the U.S. But if that’s all there is it’s not enough. Just as Jesus transcended religious code with the law of the spirit of life, it’s not the fear of punishment that keeps my fellow-Americans from mugging me in Tyler Run, it’s our shared love (and experience) of freedom. We have this unique national soul, but we put it in jeopardy to the extent America fails to value and stay invested in our heritage of faith.

We live without fear when we walk in love. That kind of confidence cannot be achieved via a law-based society alone, there must be a moral underpinning grounded in faith and an understanding that God offers something so much deeper than merely following a set of rules.

I know, that’s a lot to come out of walking the neighborhood on a moonlit night. What can I say? God is always speaking and, once in a while, I remember to listen.

Peace, love, and hope – Derek