You might be disappointed that this is not a political rant.  Freedom and liberty truly can be suppressed by government power, but true freedom cannot be denied unless we deny it to ourselves.  I’ve been thinking about two lines from different songs the past few days:

“...it’s going to cost us everything to follow one Lord and King… to be free.” - Josh Garrells

“There’s something liberating death alone brings. There’s something funny about a lot of sad things. There’s something wonderful about love” - The Choir

In another song, The Choir pleads with us to “shake off those golden shackles”.  Freedom.  Dying to ourselves, dying to our desires, our goals, our physical needs, our fears… that’s real freedom.  Putting others first, truly abandoning ourselves and all that we feel we own, are owed, want, or need.  It’s going to cost us everything to be truly be free.

That’s how God set it up.  That whole first will be last and last will be first thing?  That’s not just some clouds in the sky pearly gates type of thing… that’s for the here and now also.  Freedom.  Liberty.  Joy.  We’ll find it when we pursue Him and His ideals, giving all we have and trusting Him entirely.