Release to the Captives

Tonight, in our Renovaré group, we reflected on this question: “How does Jesus speak the good news of ‘release to the captives’ to your life?” There are so many persons who are in real captivity—to oppression, to addiction, to war—that to consider myself a captive seems a bit self-centered and maybe even arrogant. As we talked, I realize that I am captive in a way.

There are some, many even, mornings that I wake up and my first thought is not joy for a new day, but a sense of “oh, it’s yet another day.” Last week, I stood in the shower suddenly overwhelmed by all the decisions and details that face me; and I realize that I feel like I am held in captivity all alone.

It might seem that release from this captivity would be to be relieved of having to make the decisions, but that is not realistic, nor even desirable in the long run. So what “good news of release” can, or does Jesus speak to me? He reminds me that though I may feel alone in this journey, I am not alone. He is with me, and he has given me others with whom I can touch base, who support me, who lift me up when I feel low or overwhelmed.

When the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, it was not someone to take them away from their situation, but it was and is Someone who came to be with them in the midst of life—the One who chose not to grasp at equality with God, but humbled himself in human likeness. And so this Advent—this approaching Christmas—I hear a word of release, and I see a light in the darkness.

Luke 4:17b-19

He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”