In just a few days our nation will celebrate its 243rd birthday. One of the challenges we will face will be making sure we are grateful for the price our nation’s forefathers and any military after them were willing pay to secure and maintain our freedom. We would do well sometime that day to consider what a big-gulp moment it was for each of those patriots as they one by one stepped up to sign the Declaration of Independence. We would do well to reflect on the price many Americans have paid fighting numerous wars since then in order to preserve our freedom. In the midst of our flag waving and fire cracker popping this next Thursday, let’s allow the following information to stimulate gratitude in us for the price so many have paid.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial, located in Washington, DC, is dedicated to 36,574 Americans who died, 103,284 who were wounded, and 5.8 million who served in the Armed Forces during that three year conflict. Each of those numbers represents an individual and the sacrifices they made to serve. On a granite wall at the memorial the following important reminder is engraved, “FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.”1 Anyone who takes his/her freedom for granted, acts as if freedom is free.
The Kohima 2nd Division Memorial was created to remember Allied military who died in a fierce battle while stopping 100,000 Japanese soldiers at Kohima, Nagaland, when the Japanese invaded India in March 1944. Engraved on a memorial stone is, “When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say, For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.”2 Everyone who died in any war securing or protecting our freedom gave up their today so we could experience a tomorrow filled with the freedoms we enjoy. That should make us grateful.
On the WWII Memorial are engraved these words spoken by Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, “They fought together as brothers in arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation.” What a special reminder his words are that we should so live today that we do not waste their pain, suffering, and sacrifice. In regards to the freedom we have been given, we would do well to accept the counsel of the dying Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) to Private Ryan after Miller and his small squad of men had saved him in the movie Saving Private Ryan, “Earn this.”
As important as is the sacrifice those Americans have made to secure and maintain our freedom, it pales in comparison to the sacrifice which Jesus Christ made for our spiritual freedom when He gave His life for you and me. We should take note and remember the words of Jesus as recorded in John 8:36 when He said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” What a special reminder that is that we should so live that we don’t waste His pain, suffering, and death. After all, our spiritual freedom was not free either. He, too, gave His today for our tomorrows, and with that comes an obligation for us not to waste His sacrifice.
Happy July 4th.
1KoreanWarVetsMemorial.org
2NEWSLETTER Newsletter, May 2000, p.7
Recent Comments