How can you repay someone who risked their life to save yours? How can you repay someone who died so that you can live? As Christians, these are pertinent questions to ask oneself each day in regards to Jesus. The answer in that case is to accept him in our life and strive to serve him and bring glory to his name. However, this week I want to extend this thought a little further. Every year on November 11 we remember those who fought for our freedom as Canadians. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we stand for a moment of silence to remember their courage and their sacrifice. Without men and women who are willing to stand and fight for what they believe in--and for us to be able to believe as we do--we would not enjoy the same freedoms we do today.
In fact, who's to say the way that we come before God would look the same? Think about it, if those whose aim was to suppress religious freedom were never stood up to, we would not meet in church buildings and freely read God's Word (the Bible) without fear of reprisal. We would be a church of underground believers.
Make no mistake, we would still be a church, for no one can put down God's Good News of Salvation from the wrong things we have done. Things would just look different...and be more scary.
This week, remember those who gave their lives for our liberty and try to find a Veteran whom you can thank.
--Pastor Stephen Valcourt