Thought for Today
Leviticus 26:13 I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be their slaves no more; I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.
Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
The last living Israeli hostages have finally been freed. Newspaper headlines and newscast lead stories are full of coverage of the returning captives. As well they should be. The world should rejoice at their release. The world should not forget, however, the inhuman barbarity of their capture, torture and treatment.
Just to be sure that it is clear, I’m totally in favor of what Isaiah long-ago foretold, good news to the oppressed, comfort to the brokenhearted, liberty to the captives and release to all of the (reformed and repentant) captives. I do not believe it was accidental or coincidental that when Jesus, “Luke 4:16 came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written . . .” Jesus read those words above.
In all of the furor surrounding the release of the Israeli captives, it is important that we never forget October 7, 2023, and the horrific, inhuman barbarity of the attack on a music festival. It is equally important that the release itself is not subsumed into a glorification of any individual involved in their release. While I certainly would not have been at that festival or approved of any of the music, there can be no possible justification for the attack, the murders or the taking of hostages.
While the world celebrates the release of these captives from their imprisonment, it is important for us all to take some time to reflect on imprisonment of all sorts and kinds. People, God’s children, are held prisoner to many different things and in many different situations. People are held captive by addictions to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and even some behavioral conditions. People are held captive by food insecurity, housing insecurity, economic conditions, abusive relationships and a plethora of other individuals and ‘things.’
The history of our faith is very long and ancient. Events from centuries are still preserved in our faith-memory. The Exodus experience from slavery in Egypt occurred 1000s of years ago. It is preserved in the Bible, e.g., “Leviticus 26:13 I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be their slaves no more; I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.” God’s words are still read and understood by God’s children today. Words of freedom brought about by our Creator God.
I believe that same concept of God’s desire for God’s children to be free is part of the truth of John 3:16 and part of the truth of which Jesus spoke in those words above from John 8:31. Our loving God wishes for all to be free from all sorts of captivity.
In 1963, during the March on Washington, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The speech is still remembered today, still a powerful declaration of what might and can be. It has inspired many Christians to dream about what can be. Today, as I watch those hostages reunite with loved ones, I have my own dream. I dream of a world where all of God’s children are freed from all the things which hold them captive. I dream of a world where all of God’s children can sit down together and sing together, “Jesus loves me, this I know, ‘cause the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, we are weak, but he is strong.”
Stay safe, work towards freeing all captives, trust God,
Pastor Ray