John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Every year Americans look forward to celebrating Independence Day – or as many southern African Americans say, “the Fourth.” There seems to be much for nearly everyone to enjoy. The children enjoy the freedom of vacation from school. Some enjoy the hot summer weather and time at the beach. Still others may enjoy the national pastime – baseball, hot dogs, and cracker jacks. I think we all look forward to ribs and bratwursts on the grill with family and friends. Independence was the day our founding fathers declared freedom from King George and England. But this year, 2021, seems a little different.
That is because recently, our Congress agreed to officially declare June 19th, to be a federal holiday. I learned about the significance of “Juneteenth” a few years ago. For those of you who may not know, the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, signed the Emancipation Proclamation, September 22, 1862. The language stated that enslaved Africans in this country would be declared free January 1, 1863 – but only in the rebelling Confederate States (thus was the first “Watch Night” service). After the conclusion of the Civil War, it became expedient to free all Black Americans. However, it took a while for the entire nation to get the news.
June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and found there was a community of African Americans who were still living as slaves, even though they had been declared free more than two years earlier. Finally, 156 years later, our country has finally acknowledged all Americans were not freed at the same time, and for too long America has practiced different levels of freedom.
Praise God for salvation through Jesus Christ! When God set His plan in motion, to redeem humans back to Him, He included everyone (“For God so loved the world…). There are several great attributes, and advantages that accompany God’s freedom. First, it is free – Jesus paid the price. Additionally, it is for everyone. Another great thing about God’s freedom is that it is eternal: as long as you want to be free, you will be!
I thank the Lord every time I think about being free. I am free from sins I committed in the past, and I am no longer a slave to sin today. I am free to worship God in the beauty of holiness, I am free to fellowship with other believers, I am free to experience the fulness of God, and I am free from all the other afflictions the devil would burden me with: unforgiveness, bitterness, depression, hopelessness, anger, loneliness, worry and fear – and the list continues.
It is my prayer that 2021 will find more people experiencing true freedom in Jesus. I pray that it will not take anyone two years to discover that Jesus came to set you free. In times that people have different versions of the truth, please know, you have been set free.
Happy Juneteenth & Independence Day!!
I ENJOYED THIS TREMENDOUSLY