Free

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.
Luke 4:18-19 NKJV

How many times have you read this portion of Scripture and held on to it for dear life - or used it when ministering to someone who was heartbroken? Have you ever wondered if God really understood the depth of your broken heart? I'm not trying to be fractious or facetious. I've had people express that very question to me.

Let me assure you, He knows.

There are some horrible, deplorable, gut-wrenching events that take place in the lives of those around us and in our own lives. Some we know about. Some we don't... not until much later. Some we read about and throw a prayer heaven-ward, but are we actually touched with the feeling of their situation? For instance, when was the last time we thought about and fervently prayed for the many posts of missing children or the prayer requests on Facebook alone? Do we just post a praying hands emoji or do we actually pray? Scripture tells us Jesus is touched with the feeling of our situations.

If we do even just a little study on the word thrauo - which is the Greek word interpreted as 'oppressed', we will find that it means to break, break in pieces, shatter, smite through. If we go to the original reference (Isaiah 61:1), we find that the Hebrew word definition translates to break, break in or down, break in pieces, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench, rupture (figuratively), to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked, to shatter...  If we put that in our Promise for Today, I'd say that pretty well covers it, wouldn't you?

Anything that crushes or shatters our life tends to create a prison of our own making. It is from THAT prison Christ came to set us free. Free to be who God created us to be. Free to free others from the chains of their souls, no matter where they may be.

Truly free.

Prayer:

Father,
            Continue to illuminate Your Word so that we understand and are able to walk in the freedom that You alone can and have provided for us. And as we grasp the Truth of Your Word, help us to give the keys to those around us who need a way out of the prison of their souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen