My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
(From the hymn And can it be by Charles Wesley)
The Statue of Liberty is perhaps one of the most familiar landmarks that comes to mind when you think of New York. Lady Liberty stands as a symbol of equality, freedom, and democracy. Most people who visit the statue will do so by boat around the island on which she stands, and so they will never see some of the finer details concerning the statue. One very significant thing, that perhaps goes unnoticed, even on pictures and photos of the statue, are the broken shackles and chains, at the feet of the woman, representing freedom from oppression and tyranny.
This made me think about that amazing account of the healing of the man in the land of the Gerasenes by Jesus- a man who was homeless, not in his right mind, naked and living an isolated life among the tombstones in the graveyard. He was fastened with shackles and chains but even broke free from these at times. What a horrible existence that must have been. “This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.” Luke 8 v 29 NLT
People were so frightened of him -his behaviour, appearance and his shackles and chains. Jesus went to the land of the Gerasenes to reach and to free just this one person. The transformation of the man was so complete that he was seen sitting at the feet of Jesus, fully clothed, perfectly sane, so that all who witnessed this were very afraid. His chains and shackles gone, and he was now free.
In Isaiah 58 verse 6 we read these beautiful words of liberation. “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
PRAY for those who feel oppressed, trapped, held back, isolated, vulnerable, persecuted and set apart-that they might experience the liberation that Jesus longs to give to them. Pray also for justice, mercy, and freedom to be seen in the many areas of conflict that we hear of in our world.
There is a plaque at the foot of the statue contains a famous poem, by Emma Lazarus 1883, with these memorable words at the end the poem.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries sheWith silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Emma Lazarus 1883