Morning Moments

Today is Veteran's Day in the United States, so because I and both my sons, as well as many of my friends are vets, I want to devote today's Morning Moments to them.

Romans 5:6-8

Rom 5:6 ) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Freedom has never come cheap. That's true of political freedom, of economic freedom, and of spiritual freedom. So freedom must never be taken lightly; must never be taken for granted. With freedom comes great responsibility. Any country, community, church, or citizen which fails to think and act responsibility soon places freedom at peril.

In the midst of prosperity and peace, we tend to forget the price that has been paid for our freedom. It is not unusual to take that for granted. Perhaps None of us intends to forget those to whom we owe so much—but it is easy until we find ourselves in the midst of another conflict. Veterans Day serves as a reminder for us to honor those Americans who sacrificed so much. It is, then, appropriate that we have a day to remember.

We Honor Those Who Risked Their Lives for Us.

We have to begin with our mothers. Visit any cemetery and you will see that only a few years ago many mothers died giving birth. Today the risks of child-bearing have been greatly reduced, and such deaths are rare. Still it is true that life always begins with a woman passing under the threat of death.

Law enforcement officers regularly risk their lives to protect us. We often tend to think of police officers as those who inconvenience us, but many die in the line of duty and all are ready to risk their lives for us.

Firefighters, risk their lives to protect us and our property. They are seldom highly paid for the risks they take. They are ready night and day to come to our aid. We must not forget them.

We are thankful for men and women in the military who served and came home to grateful communities and to well earned retirement. They chose to risk their lives in a low-paying and sometimes difficult job.

We Honor Those Who Lost Their Lives for Us.

Many died in "far-away places with strange-sounding names."

Some suffered pain and even torture before death came.

Their sacrifice was matched by parents who grieved that a son or daughter would not be coming home.

The widowed mates of those who paid the price for freedom and their children deserve our gratitude. They, too, paid a high price. We cannot just remember those who died.

We must also remember those whose lives were shattered by their death.

Freedom has always come at a high price. It would be heartless to fail to honor such sacrifice.

We Honor The One Who Gave His life for Us All.

Those who died on battlefields far away chose to serve but they did not choose to die. Their hope was always that they would survive the battle and come home.

Jesus Christ came to earth knowing that he would die for us, and with the express intent of doing just that.

"For this reason was I born," He said (John 18:37). For this purpose he came to earth knowing that he would die for us.

We hope that those who died for country knew we'd be grateful for their sacrifice. We are certain Jesus knew that many for whom He died would be totally indifferent to His sacrifice.

Those who died for country died for family and friends, not for their enemies.

What is remarkable about Christ's death is that He died for us when we were enemies in our hearts and minds.

Jesus' death is also unique in this: only He could have done it.

It is appropriate that every year we have this day to honor our countrymen who made and still make enormous sacrifices for us. It is also appropriate that every week we have a day to honor the Savior who died for the sins of the world.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt made famous the Four Freedoms: freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. There is, of course, a fifth freedom more important than all the rest. It is freedom from sin. No government and no leader can confer that freedom. It is only given by King Jesus. No nation, kindred, tribe, or tongue can truly know freedom without Christ.

BLESSINGS!