An Event to Remember

One of the joys of this summer's sabbatical has been seeing, in person, places that I have only viewed in pictures. I didn't think that seeing the Mona Lisa in person would be moving, but seeing the painting that I had only seen pictures of was pretty amazing. Standing inside of the Colosseum in Rome was an amazing experience. Walking on the streets of Philippi; knowing that Paul was there, took my breath away. Well, last week I had another one of those experiences. I am sure you recognize the picture to the right. It is the

Arizona War Memorial. Located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Memorial marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack that took place on the island of O'ahu led to the United States direct involvement in World War II. This memorial was dedicated in 1962 and straddles the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it. These sunken remains of the battleship was declared a National Historic Landmark on May 5, 1989.

One of the historic events that the Logansport Children's Choir had the honor to participate in during their Coral Rim Choir Festival was to sing at the War Memorial. It would be one of the highlights of of their trip and mine. As we entered the area where artifacts of the infamous day are located, we found three very important men. They were survivors of the Pearl

Herb Weatherwax, Pearl Harbor Survivor

Alfred B. K. Rodrigues USS Washington

Harbor attack. One that caught my heart, and the hearts of many on the trip, was Herb Weatherwax. Herb, a 93 year old army veteran, spends his days wheeling around the site sharing stories of the attack. His spirits are high, his humor delightful, and his smile refreshing. As the children gathered at the historic sight, they brought these hero's front and center and sang God Bless America to them.It was a moment I will  not soon forget.

With tears running down my face, I thought how amazing this day was. Even today, while blogging about it, I have a lump in my throat and have fought back the tears. You see, I realized that in a few years no one will have the privilege of singing to these men. The number of survivors of the Arizona is down to twelve, and the average age of the men and women who served at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 is 94.

In his book, Diary of a Pearl Harbor Survivor, Alfred Rodrigues, one of the men the children sang for, wrote, "I am writing to remind people that we should honor the memories of my generation so that we can pass on to future generations the stories of what those brave, heroic men and women of World War II did to preserve our freedom. Freedom is not free."

Names of those who died on the Arizona

How true, our freedom is not free. We often memorialize this fact in our nation as a reminder to us and future generations of the cost of our freedom. Places like Arlington Cementary, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and this memorial stand as symbols of the cost of freedom. But do we do the same in our faith? Do we remember the cost of our freedom in Christ? My friends, our freedom in Christ is not free. Every time we eat of the bread and drink of the cup during our communion service we are called to remember the Lord's death until He comes. The communion meal reminds us of our freedom and it reminds us the cost of it. The Lord of Glory paid a high price so we could be set free from sin and death.

So today, I rejoice in the freedom I have as an American citizen. I marvel at the fact that men and women have given their lives so I can experience the freedom we have today. But there is only one who gave His life so that I may have salvation. There is only one that gives me the freedom that leads to eternal life. His Name is the Name that is above all Names. For at the name of Jesus every knee will bow; in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!  I will not wait for that day to declare my allegiance to Him. I will not wait for that day to tell my friends and family what Jesus has done for me. Today, once again, I bow my knee and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is my Lord. Today, once again, I will be a living memorial and share with those around me what Christ has done for humanity. And our call as Christians is to remember and be a reminder, a living memorial, to the work of Jesus Christ.

In the somewhat revised words from Alfred Rodrigues, ""I am blogging to remind people that we should honor the memory of Jesus Christ so that we can pass on to future generations the story of what the brave, heroic son of God did on the cross to give us freedom. Freedom is not free." Amen!