“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1
A blending of “June” and “19,” Juneteenth commemorates the final ending of U.S. slavery. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared slaves to be free in 1863, but it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that the last strongholds of slavery were put to an end in Galveston, Texas, by federal troops. No person is ever meant to be enslaved. When the Apostle Paul wrote about slavery, he was writing to those who were enslaved by the need to be perfect before God. By that standard, no one measures up. Paul wanted his readers to discover freedom in Christ. Those who embrace Jesus as Lord are forgiven their sins and made free to truly love God and one another! Today, may we celebrate the end of slavery in America, and may we also find the everlasting freedom that is available through Christ!
