One of my neighbors is keeping a bird in an approximately 12-inch diameter cage. I feel so sorry for this lovely creature for being held captive by humans who don't value freedom. Buying the bird just to release it would be a great idea but I'm not really sure whether it can still survive in the wild. Captivity makes these creatures lose their survival instincts. I just hope that readers of this message would learn to value animals and their right to live freely. If you want to experience how it feels to be imprisoned, just try staying in your bedroom for not less than 36 hours. I'm pretty sure you're going to appreciate your freedom more if you do so.
However, I'm not here to talk much about secular freedom. The kind of freedom I'd like to emphasize is the kind that overpowers all other freedoms in this whole wide world. I'm talking about freedom from sin. Billions of people today are in prison without them knowing it. Sin makes people slaves of evil deeds. Sin imprisons people in a realm of hatred, lust, envy and pride. How many times have we heard fellows saying they want to get rid of something they are addicted to but they just can't do it? We've seen people hurting their fellowmen to the point of killing them because of uncontrollable temper. We've felt this world overwhelmed by greed that governments lavish too much money in producing weapons of mass destruction to show that they can conquer the world. All these things exist because this world became a den of imprisoned souls living in physically free bodies. This woeful human condition prompted our loving Creator to send His only begotten Son to sacrifice His life that we may obtain freedom.
The sad thing is, in spite of this ultimate sacrifice, so many people still choose to stay in their invisible cages. They think the way of holiness is too tight that they feel choked. Oh that they may see what's really choking them! Not a single truly saved person would say that obeying God is such. Salvation from sin is the best freedom a person can ever experience. Salvation enables you to obey God spontaneously. No, we don't feel choked at all! Do you think just because Christians don't participate in worldly entertainments mean that they are unhappy? Our happiness comes from giving our time and resources for the needy. Our smiles in times of oppression aren't superficial, it's this Godly love poured in our hearts that made us love the unlovable. This is the result of our salvation from hatred, pride and self-love. How can the world say that Christians are bored when we're too busy doing our honest toils for the Kingdom of the King of Kings? We are serving the most powerful, most amazing and most loving Master! How can you say that we are poor? Do you know what makes someone poor? Moral bankruptcy. Look at how highly educated people turn into barbarians when they get drunk. Observe how many godless people kill themselves every single day because of depression. Look around you, stop and listen to multitudes of unbelievers talking about gossips, rumors, crimes, celebrities, fashion and other things void of power. Or better yet, if you are not a Christian, why don't you honestly evaluate your own life and see if you are really living happily? Count how many times have you hurt your loved ones because of your impulsive emotion. Regrets, hatred, anger, bitterness and pride inhabited your heart that you feel extremely choked so you resort to drinking liquor, smoking, going to worldly entertainments just to forget your problems. And you say you're free? Think again beloved. Don't you want to be truly free? It's magnificent, I tell you. The forgiveness of God brings an unfathomable inner peace which enables you to live joyfully in spite of an empty wallet. The power to say no to sin is so amazing that you yourself will be surprised of how great God changed your desires and affections. The separation from worldly things is so liberating that you can live to the fullest without entertainments, vices and earthly achievements. This is real freedom, my friend. This is an experience of a lifetime and it's headed to eternal glory if you keep it until the end of your life. If you're not spiritually free, seek your freedom from Jesus. He already paid the redemption price. All you have to do is receive the key He is giving you. This key is forgiveness...and it only happens if one day you kneel unto God with a sorrowful heart sincerely praying, "Please set me free my Lord. It's high time that I get out of this cage of sin and accept your offer of forgiveness. Please give me the power to obey Your will."
May God bless you, beloved reader.
