The Freedom Trail

I ran the Freedom Trail in Boston today. The Freedom Trail is a red line marked on the sidewalks and streets in Boston that will take you from the Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument. The trail contains historical sites that are part of the history of the events that are known as the American Revolutionary War.

As I ran the Freedom Trail today, I thought about the revolutionary war’s historical figures and their passion for liberty. I started my run at Bunker Hill Monument thinking about the thousands and thousands who died in this first battle of the revolution. The trail then led me to the Charlestown Navy Shipyard where I saw the U.S.S. Constitution, the most celebrated ship in Navy history. She is considered to be the ship that “has never failed us!” (Commodore Bainbridge) yet many men failed to return home alive from her battles. As I passed their homes and churches and the places where their businesses used to be I thought of the Sons of Liberty; James Otis, Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Sam Adams to name a few. They risked everything to forge the path of independence for the colonists.

As I ran past the Old State House, I remembered how the Declaration of Independence was read publically for the first time from the balcony. And then it happened like it usually does. My mind turns to spiritual things and I thought of another declaration of independence that was also stated publically. It wasn’t spoken from a balcony. It was spoken from a cross. This declaration was “It is finished.” This declaration forged a freedom trail of another kind.

The freedom trail Jesus created was of a spiritual nature. And it was for “whoever will believe.” Jesus’ trail started in a manger when He was born into the human race. The end of this freedom trail leaves behind an empty cross and an empty tomb. The Prince of Heaven agreed to liberate the sons and daughters of men held captive by sin. He willingly sacrificed Himself so that we might spiritually live. The Bible tells us that Jesus was sinless yet He took the penalty for sinful man on Himself. But God delivered Him by raising Him from the dead and now we who believe in Jesus are sons and daughters of liberty.

The Freedom Trail. The one in Boston occurred in the realm of men and led to the birth of a new country. The one in Christ, occurred in the realm of the spirit and leads to the new birth of human souls.