Frolicking in Freedom

Hey there, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading, titled Frolicking in Freedom, was written by Lisa M. Samra. A third-generation farmer, Jim, was so moved when he read in Malachi 4, You who revere my name, will go out and frolic like well-fed calves, that he prayed to receive Jesus' offer of eternal life. Vividly recalling his own calves' leaps of excitement after exiting their confined stalls at high speed, Jim finally understood God's promise of true freedom. Jim's daughter told me this story because we'd been discussing the imagery in Malachi 4, where the prophet made a distinction between those who revered God's name or remained faithful to Him and those who only trusted in themselves. The prophet was encouraging the Israelites to follow God at a time when so many, including the religious leaders, disregarded God and His standards for faithful living. Malachi called the people to live faithfully, because of a coming time when God would make the final distinction between these two groups. In this context, Malachi used the unexpected imagery of a frolicking calf to describe the unspeakable joy that the faithful group will experience when the Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, bringing the good news that true freedom is available to all people. And one day, in God's renewed and restored creation, we'll experience this freedom fully. What indescribable joy it will be to frolic there.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Malachi chapter 4, verses 1 through 3. Surely the day is coming. It will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. And the day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty.

Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere My name, the Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in its rays, and you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked. They will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act, says the Lord Almighty.

Let's pray. Gracious and loving God, thank You for Jesus. And thank You for the sacrifice He made to release us from our bondage to sin into the beautiful freedom of life in You. May we live as those who are truly free, so that our lives would reflect Your light in this dark and lost world. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Toni Collyer, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.