A Word from the Vine No. 546: Fireworks and Forgiveness

Well hey there, friends. This is A Word from the Vine, and I’m Pastor Loren Christensen, coming to you from the Danish Countryside Chapel here in Exira.

Now I know this weekend’s full of celebration — parades, fireworks, cookouts, and all the good stuff that makes the Fourth of July feel like home. But I want to ask you something today that might just stick with you longer than the smell of charcoal on your shirt.

What if the most powerful thing you did this Independence Day… wasn’t lighting a firework — but lighting a spark of forgiveness?

Galatians 5:13 says:

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

You see, freedom isn’t just about what we’re free from. It’s about what we’re free for. And according to Scripture, we’re free to love. Free to serve. Free to forgive.

Now I know forgiveness isn’t easy. Some of us are carrying wounds that go back years. Maybe it’s a family member who said something that cut deep. Maybe it’s a friend who turned their back. Maybe it’s someone in your church, your town, or your life who just plain let you down.

But here’s the thing: forgiveness isn’t about pretending it didn’t hurt. It’s about choosing not to let that hurt have the last word.

Jesus didn’t just talk about forgiveness — He lived it. On the cross, with nails in His hands and mockers at His feet, He said:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34

Now if He can forgive from the cross, surely we can forgive from the picnic table.

So here’s your word from the vine today: This Fourth of July, don’t just celebrate freedom — use it. Use it to love someone who’s hard to love. Use it to forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it. Use it to serve someone who can’t repay you.

Because that’s what real freedom looks like. Not just waving a flag — but laying down your pride. Not just singing about liberty — but living out grace.

And maybe, just maybe, the most patriotic thing you can do this weekend… is to make peace with someone you’ve been avoiding.

This is Pastor Loren. Thanks for listening to A Word from the Vine. And remember — the Gospel isn’t just something we believe. It’s something we live.