"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me," the second (or perhaps) third prophet writing under the name Isaiah scripts for Jesus. There in the temple, at the onset of his ministry, Jesus continues reading what this prophet scripted. "... for he [God] has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free (Luke 4:18 NLT)."
The number of times the word 'freedom' is used is significant because this Isaiah author speaks from a time when the people of God have lived in bondage in Babylon, far from their ancestral home in Jerusalem. Many feel today that their freedom is vanishing, is in the hands of the CDC, or the government is attempting control over what should not be controlled.
Now think of anointing, or being anointed. God anointed Jesus. Anointing isn't for Jesus alone. We can (and need to be) anointed ourselves in times when we feel far from home, or the comforts that have been in our homes which includes family that may not be with us this Christmas season.
APPLICATION: Anoint. Or anoint someone else literally or metaphorically. How? Share good news. Cheer a soul, or, when a soul cheers you, take special delight in this. We are not in bondage when we love near or far. No, we are set free for more love.