A journey in creativity and faith

Tag: freedom

Freedom is not free

I’ve been to the USA with my husband. We saw Washington and visited Baltimore as my husband was attending a conference. I want to share some of the experiences the Lord blessed me with on my trip.
It was not the big and beautiful buildings which left an impression on me, when I was in Washington. Words showed their power to me. Quotes of Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. were written on big stone tables at the memorials. The words shared the visions of freedom, equality, rights, brotherhood, peace and love. My husband, I and other visitors walked in a religious silence as we were reading the words.

Martin luther king

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” (Martin Luther King)

At the memorial for the Korea War a sign said: “Freedom is not free”
Many people have paid a tall price for freedom. Abraham Lincoln declared that all men were created equal and he fought to free the slaves, but Lincoln was murdered. Martin Luther King fought for civil rights, and he was murdered. Many soldiers have died for others to be free.
A student in Oregon stood as a shield and took several gunshots. He saved many lives and he could have died.
Another man paid a high price for freedom. He was innocent, but took the punishment all men should have for their iniquities. He sacrificed himself on a cross so we could be free. It didn’t end at the cross. The words we read in the gospel don’t belong to a dead man, but to Jesus, the son of God, who arose from death and lives today. He is the eternal king of kings and because of his sacrifice we’re free from the power of sin, the devil and death.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)

Liberation

 

Cold concrete

A smell of dust

And urine

Drops falling down from the ceiling

No. Drops from my eyes

Landing on my lips

The bars throw shadows of darkness

On my body

 

Words from whispers and letters

turned backs and fleeing eyes

Words inside my head

Shouting over each other

The words are parasites

eating brain cells

The words are strong as men

Shouting

Nothing

Worthless

Failure

Words dehumanize me

Vermin

Says the tag

Written on my soul

 

I lay against the wall

The wall stands firm and quiet

A witness to the soul eating words

An antique wall

Which I lean my tears against

Lashes, gobs and question marks

Are written on the wall

The wall is firm and quiet

While the words move down towards my heart

And my organs and veins

Lie rotting

My skin folds and shrinks

A tight noose around my neck

Gasping for breath

Fading within myself

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