We find ourselves between two significant moments in history—Juneteenth and the Fourth of July. One marks the day enslaved African Americans in Texas finally learned of their freedom. The other celebrates the birth of a nation that declared itself free from colonial oppression.
Both days speak to the core of what it means to live freely as citizens of this world.
The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:1, “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.”
Moreover, freedom is not merely a political concept—it is a spiritual truth. It is God’s breath breathing life into the bones of oppression. It echoes Moses’ command to Pharaoh: “Let my people go.” And Jesus, unrolling the scroll of Isaiah, declares: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… to proclaim liberty to the captives.”
Freedom is the power to live fully in the image of God—without chains, without shame, without fear.
But let us not be deceived. Freedom has arrived, but not for everyone. The shackles may be gone from our wrists, but some still remain on our minds and hearts. And not everyone has experienced existential freedom.
So, while we thank God for Juneteenth and wave the flag on the Fourth of July, we also lift the banner of Kingdom freedom—a freedom deeper than politics and higher than any government can provide.
Let us be vigilant.
Let us be bold.
Let us remain faithful to the call of Christ—
- To proclaim liberty,
- To decolonize minds,
- To stand with the maginalized and the oppressed,
And to carry the gospel of liberation until every soul is free.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, “No one is free until we all are free.”
May the Spirit empower us to carry the banner of freedom—not just on holidays, but every day—until justice flows down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
