Freedom
By Tracy Smith
“So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
John 8:36 (NLT)
Bravery, strength, struggle, liberty, freedom. Those are words I think of when I think of the July 4th holiday. July 4, 1776, Independence Day - - the day our country declared our independence from England. It sounds so simple, so easy. It wasn’t. It took a war to win our independence and war is never easy. Driving down the road the other day, I heard the song “Arlington” by Trace Adkins. This song is sung from the perspective of a young soldier who was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery after giving his life for our country. As he reflects on his life, he sings these words:
I remember daddy brought me here when I was eight,
We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,
And when we finally found that cross,
He said, "Son, this is what it cost to keep us free." [1]
We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,
And when we finally found that cross,
He said, "Son, this is what it cost to keep us free." [1]
We celebrate our freedom as a country on July 4th. Our forefathers had a vision, and in order to create the country they wanted, they needed to be free from England and the constraints it wanted to put on us. We celebrate because we won that freedom, but it is also solemn because that freedom cost lives. Men stood up and said that their freedom (and the future freedom for their families) was worth whatever price they may have to pay, and they backed up that belief with action. The crosses at Arlington symbolize what it takes to keep us free - - the lives of those who fought and ultimately died.
But oh, how the words to that song have another meaning. “And when we finally found that cross, he said, “Son, this is what it cost to keep us free.” There is another Cross that symbolizes what it cost for us to be free. Free from the bondage of sin. Free from trying to earn our way to heaven. Freedom from the heartbreak of knowing we could never do or be enough to earn that way. That Cross is the Cross of Calvary. That Cross symbolizes that we have a God who loved us enough to send His Son to this earth to die to make us free.
As we celebrate this July 4th, let us be thankful for the freedom we have living in the United States and the freedom we have in Christ.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you know someone who has served or is serving in our country’s military? If so, look for an opportunity to thank them for the sacrifices they have made for our country.
2. Spend some time in prayer, thanking our Lord for the sacrifice of His Son for our freedom.
FURTHER READING:
Along with being a wife and mother to two teenage sons, Tracy is a ministry assistant at Oakwood and works with a great group of Junior High girls.
[1] Adkins, Trace. “Arlington.” Songs About Me, Liberty Records, 2005.
