It’s Free
Jan Unfried
October, 2019
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was in college. I suppose I may be exaggerating a little, but I did just have my fortieth-year reunion last fall. My coffee habit was not yet established back then. I drank coffee primarily when I needed a boost of energy for studying. I can partially blame my husband for getting me started. While we were still dating, we would occasionally pull all-nighters studying for finals. To keep us awake, we would take our textbooks and binders full of notes to a nearby twenty-four-hour coffee shop. We would get a cup of coffee and an English muffin, and study the night away.
The restaurant that we frequented for this activity is now called the Point Loma Café. It has changed hands a few times, but in the 1970’s this particular restaurant gave out free coffee chips. You would receive one as you paid for your meal, and you could use it at your next visit. Being the frugal college students that we were, we took advantage of this offer. I’m not sure how many refills we would get while sitting there with our noses in the books, but I know we got the better end of that deal!
It would be ridiculous to conjecture that after we received our “free” coffee, we would ask the manager if we could wash the dishes or sweep the floors to pay for it. You can’t pay for something free! I’m sure we would have been patted on the back and told not to burden ourselves with trying to work for the goods we had received. Back in the dish room, the staff would probably be throwing their hands up in confusion as they discussed those foolish college kids.
As easy as it is for us to see the futility in trying to pay for our free coffee, we are sometimes blinded to the fact that we do that very thing in our walk with Christ. He wants us to be free and has already paid the price for our freedom. We foolishly try to “buy” it, burdening ourselves with a yoke of slavery, by working hard, serving well, or adhering strongly to the law. I wonder if Jesus goes into the throne room and throws up His hands saying, “When will they learn that their attempt to be justified by the law has no value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love?” (see Galatians 5:6).
In More Coffee Shop Theology, Frank Moore, states that many people think that God places all our good deeds on one side of His balance scales and our bad deeds on the other side. If the good outweighs the bad, we receive entrance into the Streets of Gold. God’s Word clearly lets us know that our acts of righteousness are like filthy rags when it comes to gaining His favor (see Isaiah 64:6). Try purchasing something at the store with a bag of dirty, oily rags. It won’t get you very far! It is because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, not our good performance, that the Father sees us through eyes of grace and mercy. We are declared free from the guilt and penalty of our past sins. Since God no longer condemns those who are in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1), we should not condemn ourselves or be slaves to the guilt of our pasts.
"To keep us awake, we would take our textbooks and binders full of notes to a nearby twenty-four-hour coffee shop. We would get a cup of coffee and an English muffin, and study the night away."
Today, as I write this, it is Good Friday. On this special day, we ponder and worship the Christ who suffered on the cross for us. This was an amazing act of love planned for the human race so that we might receive atonement for our sins once and for all. All we need to do is accept His payment for our sins through faith. When we realize and experience the freedom that comes through forgiveness and a reconciled relationship with God the Father, our natural outpouring should be expressed in love for God and each other.
Serving one another in love and loving your neighbor as yourself is now done with a whole new perspective. You are not earning your way to Heaven based on how many meals you serve to the homeless or how often you give to the poor. You are not a better person if you volunteer for as many jobs as you can handle at your church. You are not getting a ticket into the Pearly Gates because you are a great rule follower. Your motive is not to receive accolades from God or man. Your life and service overflow as an expression of gratefulness for God’s gift to you.
When you smile and say a kind word to the harried mom surrounded by misbehaving kids, it is because God has smiled down on you. You want to extend a little of who He is to someone else. As you serve the homeless, you can pray for them and value them because God saw value in you. You deal daily with your sinful nature because you want to live for Christ, not for yourself. Being less selfish or more patient will not buy your way into God’s grace. You already have His love and grace, His peace and joy. These gifts just make you want to be more like Him, and you want others to see Christ in you.
God’s grace is sufficient, and it doesn’t cost you anything. Open your heart, and let His love and forgiveness overflow in your life. It’s liberating! And it’s FREE!
Jan Unfried is a recently retired teacher and administrator of over 40 years. She currently enjoys spending time with her eight grandkids, traveling with her husband, and supervising students in the credential program for PLNU. She is involved in her local church leading Bible studies, serving on the worship team, assisting with women’s ministries activities, and representing the Organic Outreach Influence Team on the church board. Jan has always loved writing, and in 2018 God laid on her heart the idea of telling stories of people meeting over a cup of coffee. Their connections with God and each other provide heart-warming and encouraging accounts to use as a devotional study or as a quick read. Her book, Common Ground, Coffee Shop Chronicles to Warm Your Heart and Soul is available through Amazon.
