Is a trip to St. Elsewhere free?

A strange thing happened yesterday after I decided to post. Everything changed. I began by debating whether to look at something from the Gorillaz "Demon Days" (probably either Last Living Souls, or All Alone, although I love the video for Feel Good Inc.) or Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere (the song, not the album. In all honesty, I was really thinking about the Gorillaz. I had to cut them from my thesis. I'm sure you understand, I can't have that, under my name, in a library at a seminary. Plus, I posted "Crazy" last July and so I didn't feel the need to double dip on an album that I like, despite my intention not to. (The last line of Boogie Monster, most of Who Cares? and all of Necromancer have objectionable lyrics) That being said, in my wanderings to prepare myself I came across the TV show that the song, and presumably the album, was named after. Apparently, it had a surprise ending which helps to explain the album cover, by the way and now I know why Television is so strange: It all takes place in the brain of an autistic child. How does that relate to what I'm going to say about the song? It doesn't, I just had to share.

St. Elsewhere

I packed a few of my belongings
Left the life that I was living
Just some memories of it
Mostly the ones I can't forget

Whenever you need me I'll be here
Until then my dear
I'm going, I'm going, going there

Don't ask me to make time
To travel back and forth
Let nature take its course
Maybe I'm open from all this ocean air
And if it weren't for you I'd be without
A care setting sail to St. Elsewhere

Anywhere you sit you can see the sun
Unfortunately on this island I'm the only one
Same rules apply on a rainy day
Then it's not such a pretty place to be
It just rains and rains and rains on me

Send a simple sign I can understand
Then a flower grew out that sand
Before you know it I was back out on that sea
Now I don't mind it so much because it's normal
I'm not there, anywhere, St. Elsewhere

Way over yonder there's a new frontier
Would it be so hard for you
To come and visit me here?
I understand
Well just send me a message in a bottle then baby.

This feels torn. There's a certain freedom in the music itself, an elation of release, but with a catch. There something, (someone) holding on, something from which there can be no escape, because there is a real connection.

We often associate freedom with the ability to do what we want. That certainly feels like what is being communicated here, although the allusions make if feel like perhaps the island is not anywhere, but in the mind of the speaker. And that kind of freedom, to escape inside, is something that can never be taken away, so to a degree, the freedom is real. But what is freedom? It is alternately defined as a lack of responsibilities or demands, and as the ability to fulfill personal potential. But Jesus offers both, with the benefit of fulfillment.

First, we are freed from sin. In an unregenerate state, we are unable to not sin. The inability to do what is right is not freedom (despite what the world preaches). Pleasing God with our thoughts or actions is impossible in a fallen state. Therefore, there is no to do what we were designed to do. Salvation also provides us with an opportunity to fulfill our personal potential in a way unimagined by those not following Christ.

But there is a fundamental re-definition of freedom for the believer. The freedom that comes in Christ comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility, something not normally associated with freedom. The release we receive, from sin, from death, also demands that we offer our lives in service. How is service freedom? Well, it's a bit sticky.
When we come to Christ, Our happiness ceases to be based on what we can do, and moves to what most honors our savior. That ability is something we can only do as we are transformed into the image of Christ, and often involves giving up things that we had formerly enjoyed. Not because we aren't "allowed" to do them any more, but because we realize that they are not for God's glory, and therefore, are not in line with what we want to accomplish long term.