Free At Last

My chains are gone, I've been set free.

I have been learning a lot about slavery and bondage and being set free in the musical I am now taking part in. It is the story of Huck Finn and his friend, Jim.

Jim is a man of color, and he runs from place to place trying to stay free. He is held in chains for part of the production. He is treated as a slave for part of the show, and, for a greater part, he is treated as a man, a simple, ordinary man, separated from his family, desperately trying to be reunited with them. Songs such as "Do Ya Wanna Go to Heaven?" and "How Blest We Are" and "Free at Last" are some of my favorites. "I wish by golly I could spread my wings and fly and let my grounded soul be free for just a little while. To be like eagles when they ride up on the wind and taste the sweetest taste of freedom for my soul. And be Free at last, free at last. Great God Almightly I'd be free at last".

Most Christians assume that freedom means freedom from obligation and the hard work of obedience. But freedom in Christ is not described that way in the Bible. We are not given a license to do whatever we wish. Christians are no longer held as slaves to sin. We are free to obey. We are enslaved to God to serve Him and love Him.

The problems arise when we replace our slavery to God with slavery to anything else. God wants us enslaved to nothing and no one besides Him.

Are you enslaved to something other than God?

Debt?

Food?

Drugs?

Alcohol?

Entertainment?

Spending?

Gambling?

“For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.” 2 Peter 2:19

I am so blessed to be a part of this musical production, "Big River" and I can certainly say how very fortunate I am to be free, free, free at last!