It has been a long time since I’ve included a poem in my blog, and I thought, ‘there’s no time like the present’. So, here goes…
Free in Christ
With awe-inspiring grandeur
The noble eagle soared
High above the treetops
Independence his reward
He flew with grace and dignity
As only the strong can fly
With a wave of his majestic wings
He ruled the endless sky
I couldn’t help but watch his skill
As he sailed around the clouds
Oh, to be just like him
In the freedom his life allows
Then my thoughts returned to me
There was something I forgot
We are just like that fearless bird
For our salvation has been wrought
Jesus Christ has paid the price
Our wholeness to provide
Now we all are born again
Righteous and sanctified
Bondage cannot hold us down
For we’ve been given liberty
We can soar like eagles do
Because Christ has made us free
So, if you see an eagle fly
Remember that you can too
For all his freedom and his strength
Is but a glint of what’s in you! ©
Freedom is important to everyone. No one doesn’t like freedom. But often it seems that people may take it for granted. Freedom is a precious commodity and should be cherished.
Our country was founded on the promise of freedom. The early settlers came to this land to escape religious persecution. They wanted the freedom to worship God as they believed was right. Later others came to escape tyranny. Whatever their reasons, they all were looking for a life of freedom.
Think about our country’s founding documents… The Declaration of Independence, for instance. What is independence? It is the state of being independent. (really, that is its definition, duh!) And the first definition of ‘independent’ in Merriam Webster’s dictionary is, “Not subject to control by others.” In other words, free! This document declared our country’s freedom from England’s control.
The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence starts with, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These words clearly describe freedom.
The Preamble to Our Constitution states:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The founding fathers understood the importance of being a free people. These are the principles that make our country great!
But there is a far greater freedom that is guaranteed to us. And that is the freedom we have in Christ. By his sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ secured our independence from evil (it no longer has control over us) and gave us freedom from the bondage of fear. When we accepted Christ as our Lord, we were released from the prison of sin and its consequences; and given a new life free from condemnation and guilt.
The freedom we have in our country depends on people’s adherence to our Constitution, which varies. It can be restricted by a government if it chooses to not follow the Constitution. The God-given freedom we have because of Christ’s finished work, however, is complete and never varies. It can only be stifled in our minds by unbelief. The freedom we have in our country is governed by natural laws set up by men. The freedom we have in Christ is spiritual and promised by God. It is irrevocable.
The Bible uses words to paint pictures to help our understanding. Eagles are sometimes the subject of those pictures.
One of my favorite “eagle” verses is in Isaiah.
Isaiah 40:31 – But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles: they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
This verse was an inspiration for my poem. Eagles portray strength, power, and freedom. Eagles also evoke respect, admiration, and awe. I find it interesting that our country opted to use an eagle as its symbol of freedom. Maybe the founding fathers read the Bible!
Isaiah 40:31 paints a marvelous picture of the freedom and strength we have as sons of God. Can’t you just picture yourself soaring through the sky like an eagle – strong, fearless, and free? What a great image to hold in our minds!
The freedom we have in our country is something we should appreciate, even fight for. There have always been (and always will be) enemies who want to take away our freedom. We cannot let them!
The freedom we have in Christ is ours forever! We still may need to fight for it, but the battlefield is in our minds. Sometimes the things that God has given to us or done for us may seem ‘too good to be true’, but they ARE true. And the Bible tells us that God will never take them away from us. (Romans 11:29) Our freedom is real and true, but manifesting it hinges on our mind’s complete assurance of its truth.
So, if you see an eagle flying, it may remind you of our country and the freedom we have here, and that’s okay. But you can also think of how free you are in Christ. We have been made free from the bondage of fear and worry. We are no longer subject to the evils that enslave the world. We have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear son. (Colossians 1:13)
Our freedom in Christ enables us to overcome any situation that might transpire in this day and time. We can soar like eagles because we are FREE in Christ.
Note to my readers: Let your freedom ring! Thanks for reading.