The Cost of Freedom - Part I
On the 4th of July our nation celebrated the 243rd anniversary of our independence. Ironically enough, Julie and I were in England on that day - the very nation that we had to battle for our freedom. Even though the US and England are great friends now, there were no celebrations or really any visible signs that we would typically see in America that day. We had a few nice well wishes from people that knew we were Americans but things were pretty quiet other than that. The one memorable reference to the “Fourth” was a British radio show which polled the audience for the greatest things that America had ever given England. The top three responses were the TV show Friends, the iPhone and Budweiser. Yikes. I am not sure if that is more incriminating for us or for them….ha
The next day we were down in Cornwall, England - the southwestern coastline of the North Atlantic. (Amelia Island is 4000 miles away straight across the ocean :-) We had the opportunity to visit what was probably the most charming seaside church I have ever seen - St Just in Roseland Church. With roots back to the 1200’s, it’s quite humbling to walk around the church and think about all of the people that have visited there before you.
As we spent time in the church, there were two images that were powerfully present. The first was a beautiful stained glass depiction of the crucifixion that is hundreds of years old.
The second was a registry of signatures of all the American and British troops (fighting on the same side this time) that had worshiped there leading up to D Day during World War II. They were in camps nearby and were literally waiting for the word to leave for the beaches of Normandy, France for the D Day invasion in June, 1944. Many of them would die or be wounded and this would have been the last place/time that they attended church. Powerful to say the least.
What these images represent to us are strikingly common in a few key ways:
Both came at a cost - Freedom is never truly free
Both bought our freedom - Christ’s sacrifice bought us freedom from our sins while the soldiers sacrifice bought us the privilege of continuing to live in a free country.
Neither could we have accomplished on our own - We can’t save ourselves. it required someone else acting and sacrificing on our behalf.
I certainly don’t equate our American citizenship to our heavenly citizenship as Christians but they are both nonetheless powerful images that help us remember the sacrifices that have been made for us.
One day prior we were in London on 4th of July where virtually everyone was, understandably, unaware of what that day meant because they weren’t Americans. I can’t help but think of how many there are that are also unaware of Christ’s sacrifice. True freedom is available to all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. The Spirit of the Lord lives in us as believers so that freedom is available to us. But, that freedom can also be misunderstood.
Over the next few weeks I plan to address the freedoms that we enjoy as Christians as well as the cost of those freedoms. It’s truly one of the most special blessings that come with a saving faith and it’s important that we understand how it should impact our lives.
Stay hungry,
Big E