The Cost of Freedom...

As we celebrate the independence of this great nation, we are always encouraged to reflect on the cost of the freedoms that we enjoy today.So, let's reflect for a bit.

I'm sure I've read in history books (or perhaps those are the chapters I

"skimmed"?), but until I did some research today, I didn't realize that over 13,000,000 Americans served in our armed forces during WW II. Of that number, approximately 350,000 died in their service, and over 670,000 more were wounded.

That's just a four and a half year period of our history! Eighty years before that war, we were a country divided who fought each other. Over 620,000 Americans died across five Aprils from 1861-1865. One hundred and ten years before the Civil War, Americans took up arms to fight for indendpence from the British Monarchy. Countless thousands died and were wounded in that effort, which birthed our freedom and framed our constitutional rights and the democratic type of govenrment that has served our land for nearly 250 years.

Fast forward to my lifetime, and approximately 100,000 more Americans have given their lives for our freedom from the jungles of Viet Nam to desserts of Iraq and Afganistan and places in between.

The cost of our freedom has been extreme; the currents of blood that have been shed has been extreme. I'm an English teacher, so I'll leave the math to those who can deal with numbers. However, I can tell that the number of lives sacrificed or forever changed so that I can speak my mind, write what I want, worship as I please, is very high. I can't even imagine being the family of one of those lost in war.



Charles Milburn
One of the Greatest Generation



I can imagine being the family of one who served honorably and was discharged without any obvious injury.

I have previously written about my dad and his service to our country during WW II (see March 17, 2011). I'll try not to repeat all of the same information about my dad, but I do want to tell you about him again.

He was 22 and married for six weeks when he left for boot camp in February of 1942. He returned in August of 1945, a different person, but having been part of the Greatest Generation that had saved our democracy from the two major forces of evil in the world at that time.

Daddy did not return to my mom with a Purple Heart, but for the last 65 years of his life, he did live with the emotional and physical toll of those three years. He suffered recurring bouts of malaria for many years and dealt with the sometimes debilitating issues associated with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome until the day he met Jesus face to face.

Despite his unseen wounds, he perservered and made a wonderful life for himself, my mom, and my siblings and me. But in talking with him and my mom over the years, I could sense the stress that the war brought to them - individually and as a couple. The personal cost to them was very high, but they managed to adjust.

My folks, like so many others, sacrificed their youth, the "honeymoon" years of their life together, and, in my dad's case, his health, so that I and my generation could grow up in freedom.

However, even the United States of America cannot offer me or anyone else real freedom. The millions of dead and wounded of our wars have not bought me or anyone else true freedom. Okay, I know that sounds radical! But hear me out...

Every human being is created in the image of the Lord God, which makes each one a spiritual being.

• The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:2
• And then God said, "Let Us make man in our own image, according to our likeness..." Genesis 1:26

But because we are created in His likeness, we are created with the freedom to make our own personal choices. And our fleshly, human nature naturally enslaves us to sin. In other words, we create our own spiritual bondage.

• "For I [Peter] see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin." Acts 8:23 NLT
• But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Romans 7:23 NLT

Unfortunately, our choice to live in our fleshly nature has eternal consequences.

• For the wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God in heaven, to live out eternity in hell. Romans 6:23 paraphrase

But the Lord God paid the ultimate price so that we can live in spiritual freedom!

• But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT

And we can choose to accept and live in that spiritual freedom.

• For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NLT

We are so blessed here in the good 'ole USA - so blessed that we take our freedom for granted. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sacrificed so that we might live in a free society during our short time on this earth. And I thank them, their families, and our Lord for that. And when we look upon our national flag, we reflect on the blood that was shed for that freedom.

But being a citizen of the most free nation on earth does not give any person eternal freedom. Only when we believe in and accept Jesus Christ and enter into a personal relationship with Him can we experience the spiritual freedom that His death and resurrection bought. He paid the ultimate price for our eternal freedom! And I thank Him and praise Him for that. And when we think about the cross, we should reflect on His blood that was shed on our behalf for the cost of that spiritual freedom.