Monday; June 19

While Juneteenth is a relatively new federal holiday in the United States, it has its roots in an incident decades ago. On June 19, 1865 word finally reached Galveston, Texas that the slaves had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation – some two and a half years earlier. We didn’t have 24/7 media back then, so it wasn’t until Major General Gordon Granger delivered the message that these Texans realized they were free! On one hand, it is tragic that the slaves had to wait so long to hear the good news, but that didn’t dampen the message of freedom!

As I have thought about Juneteenth, I have been pondering another type of freedom people are missing out on even today. When Jesus died on the cross, all people were freed from the bonds of spiritual consequences. Jesus not only paid the debt for our iniquity, He also provided a way for everyone to experience inner peace and contentment. The shame of this truth is that too many people have never heeded the good news. They haven’t accepted Jesus’ free gifts so they still live in sin and are overburdened by the carnal world around them! Even though they could be living a life of spiritual freedom and fulfillment, they remain mired in their own sufferings and sorrows.

Have you found the freedom available to all mankind through Jesus? Let’s not let another day go by without enjoying the greatest gift God can (and did) give us!

Think About It!

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