Walking through the American Veteran's Cemetery at Maastricht on Easter, I once again considered the blood and carnage of war and the thousands of bodies that lay in honor in the land they had fought to liberate from evil. Their deaths were not in vain, but Maastricht was the first town in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe was freed from the oppression and savagery that Hitler had devised. Though over 17,000 Americans were once buried here, around half were repatriated to America for their "final" resting place. Christ's victory over death also provides hope for the fallen. Not to be forgotten were many thousands of British soldiers as well that Operation Market Garden on September 17, 1944 cost.
Books, movies and personal witness have over and over told of the suffering, the blood shed, the loss of life and limb for the purchase of freedom. Mel Gibson's life is a shambles; few would argue with that statement, but the film, The Passion of Christ, was spot on of the messiness of the sacrifice of Christ's humanity. But The Passion, or any other medium, can not express the divine dimension that went on during that Passover weekend that culminated in the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus' call to His Father to "let this cup pass from me" was not His inability to endure the human dimension, but the divine one; the gathering of ALL SIN, past, present and future were placed on Him and He would be separated from His Father; that was His sole purpose. His purpose was being about the Father's business and doing exactly what He was told to do. Jesus did not want to face that separation even for a short-time. The sin Jesus took on Himself for you and for me is enticing, but in the end, demands a payment. Jesus changed all that; He paid the price.
Hundreds of soldiers' bodies have yet to be known even 60 years later, but they will still rise in the end. Wars are filled with sacrifices that are messy and the war between good and evil is no exception. There was a price to pay and a willing Man of God to pay it.
Christ's redemption gift reminds us that we have been bought with a price and we are no longer our own. The soldiers' crosses remind us that good people gave of themselves the ultimate sacrifice, messy and permanent for freedom and redemption; may we not forget either sacrifice. Our obligation is not just of a human perspective but also a divine one.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Disconnect in the World
Tomorrow is Easter and I'm ready for the joyous celebration! Glory in the Highest, HE IS RISEN. I'm on a river in Holland headed for God's creation of flowers and in the process seeing a number of man's attempts of drawing attention to himself. From man's perspective, there are beautiful buildings, glamorous gardens, magnificent statues, unbelievable works of art and don't forget the Belgium waffle and Belgium chocolate. I have seen the latter in forms that you would blush around your children. It was interesting that the most recognized statue in Brussels is Mannikin Pis, a little boy urinating. But the little ducklings just out for their first swim and the swan plucking out its own down to prepare the nest of two of her eggs; now there is life and beauty that man has yet to match.
Europeans know how to celebrate Easter; not just in their days off, but they decorate everything and prepare for the economic ring of the cash register, then close EVERYTHING on Easter. We have seen homes and hotels decorated in every window with eggs, bunnies, and everything that is far from HOLY. I'm sure that I probably missed the holy preparation for Easter, but the churches I've walked in are beautiful, ornate, hallow, empty and missing the Spirit of the Risen One.
I was watching a video called Easter, the Promise Kept this morning as the ship we are aboard has nothing scheduled for the most influential day of history, the day that hope, forgiveness, and when death was conquered by Christ's resurrection. The ship's staff were more than happy, they put it on a TV for us and then to my surprise, to announce a viewing. What surprised me even more is they asked if they could keep it and run it on Easter at 3:30 when most of the entire ship's guests would be on board; not just on the lounge, but available in every room of the ship! Praise the Lord alone for opening hearts and saving souls.
In considering the movie, I was struck by this passage later in my reading:
“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 NLT
I understand the part about not letting your heart be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, BUT what about "the worries of this life"? There are times I am so guilty about letting my heart be dulled by "the worries of this life". It is good to get away and take a look from a distance of your own life and what it is filled with. It is easy for me to see the disconnect of the world when I see how God has been put in his place.... no let me rephrase that, see how people have forgotten about God and all that He has done by being dulled by "the worries of this life". I look at my life and I can momentarily have my mind crammed full of the world and only because of my love of Christ and that my chains He has broken to set me free, do I quickly come back to Him.
Generations here in Europe have had their hearts dulled by the carousing and drunkenness and the worries of this life; America isn't far behind them as I see what they/we are doing and the change that is occurring. The disconnect in the world has come because we have not listened to some of Christ's last words as He spoke to the people of Jerusalem.
Look at Jesus' words again: "Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”
I pray that I might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man. I pray that for you as well. Celebrate Easter as the first Christians did, in gratitude, joy, humility, and the hope that He has promised. He is Risen....He is Risen INDEED!
Europeans know how to celebrate Easter; not just in their days off, but they decorate everything and prepare for the economic ring of the cash register, then close EVERYTHING on Easter. We have seen homes and hotels decorated in every window with eggs, bunnies, and everything that is far from HOLY. I'm sure that I probably missed the holy preparation for Easter, but the churches I've walked in are beautiful, ornate, hallow, empty and missing the Spirit of the Risen One.
I was watching a video called Easter, the Promise Kept this morning as the ship we are aboard has nothing scheduled for the most influential day of history, the day that hope, forgiveness, and when death was conquered by Christ's resurrection. The ship's staff were more than happy, they put it on a TV for us and then to my surprise, to announce a viewing. What surprised me even more is they asked if they could keep it and run it on Easter at 3:30 when most of the entire ship's guests would be on board; not just on the lounge, but available in every room of the ship! Praise the Lord alone for opening hearts and saving souls.
In considering the movie, I was struck by this passage later in my reading:
“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 NLT
I understand the part about not letting your heart be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, BUT what about "the worries of this life"? There are times I am so guilty about letting my heart be dulled by "the worries of this life". It is good to get away and take a look from a distance of your own life and what it is filled with. It is easy for me to see the disconnect of the world when I see how God has been put in his place.... no let me rephrase that, see how people have forgotten about God and all that He has done by being dulled by "the worries of this life". I look at my life and I can momentarily have my mind crammed full of the world and only because of my love of Christ and that my chains He has broken to set me free, do I quickly come back to Him.
Generations here in Europe have had their hearts dulled by the carousing and drunkenness and the worries of this life; America isn't far behind them as I see what they/we are doing and the change that is occurring. The disconnect in the world has come because we have not listened to some of Christ's last words as He spoke to the people of Jerusalem.
Look at Jesus' words again: "Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”
I pray that I might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man. I pray that for you as well. Celebrate Easter as the first Christians did, in gratitude, joy, humility, and the hope that He has promised. He is Risen....He is Risen INDEED!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Lost in France
If you are wondering why it has been so long since I last posted a blog, it is because, the hands of the clock move even if I don't. My bride and I are lost in France currently while someone rips and polishes our house. Our goal for nine days was to just unwind and be a couple experiencing some back roads of France together. We have done that and have new roads yet to discover. Thanks to our friend, V, we have a Garmin and when she works (ie, we figure out how to properly program her) she does pretty well. Sometimes her lefts, rights and go for it's are not the easiest to follow and thanks to her, we have found some single lane paths through mustard fields and grain fields, beside cozy rambling brooks and tree-lined tunnels or mini-Arch de Triumph. We've seen more back roads and no toll-"free-ways" today than most Frenchmen see in their lifetime. Our goal is to get lost and still find ourselves eating good bread, cheese and a little red wine.
So that is what has happened from Beaune to Ribeauville, France. We drove over a 1000 meter pass with a bit of snow along the roadside and the chairlifts standing quiet. We stop in little villages that tourist never venture in and the locals speak NO English. We have managed to eat the plate de jour a few times, order Pain Chocolates and Pain Raisins for breakfast without damage the international relations between France the the U.S. We find ourselves in the French culture, ordering cafe au'lait or just cafe straight up for a morning and afternoon hit. We been waking a fair bit, but I see not balance of the calories consumed and the calories burned, so I have to trust God's grace to burn them off in my sleep.
After driving over the beautiful mountain range and seeing the sleepy houses that line the roads, many standing hundreds of years and often ready for some new roof tiles, we wound down to lower plains. One of the many villages had a sign for frommage direct and we jumped at the opportunity to get further off the beaten path. Buy the cheese from the dairy; we bought fresh munster cheese (nothing like munster in America) in Munster at this beautiful dairy farm with a very high standard of cleanlyness. Next was going in to pet the bull calves ready to be sold off; they were so fun and I'd love to have a half dozen back home.
The fields that we had experienced from the Loire valley to Burgandy were half mustard seed in full bloom of yellow and the other half of wheat in dark green (it was a U of O dream) and we couldn't believe that there was such a need for mustard as we saw thousands and thousands of hectars of blooming mustard.... it was beautiful.
While in Munster, we picked up a loaf of fresh bread, some girkens (little pickles), olives, apples, and some local red wine. After our three-course "plate de jour", our groceries would serve up as our dinner and an early rest in bed. OH, the munster was stinky, but once aired, it was very good.
We have been driving an Opel diesel car and it has done very well. It fits our needs well, but diesel runs 1.45 euro/liter, so between fuel and toll roads the first couple of days of chateau viewings, we will walk much of tomorrow. Exploring is on tap and trying to interface with more and more locals. We have found the Alsatians very friendly, and as a whole everyone in France has been very hospitable even with our lace of language skills.
Yesterday in Beaune, the "capital of Burgandy", we saw a hospital that dates back to the 15th century, it was called the Hospice of Beaune, but better know as the Palace of the Poof. It ran until 1971 as a hospital that cared for the poor and rich alike, side by side. It was amazing to see and we didn't even know it was there except we were lead by our hearts to explore the city and see what was in it. This multi-paneled painting done by Wagner 1399-14something was incredible to see the detail and grasp of man's choice.
We have seen a number of churches, but unfortunately, they are now memorials to a faith that was once very vibrant. The buildings lack people and the Spirit of God in them and it isn't improving with the future generations. Past generations knew of the Master and the transformation of lives; those lives willing to care for the poor, tend the sick and comfort the helpless. I don't know what it will take, but God does. People can be so blind to how much they are loved by the God that created them.
 |
| A barn we found that has been out of use for a while |
So that is what has happened from Beaune to Ribeauville, France. We drove over a 1000 meter pass with a bit of snow along the roadside and the chairlifts standing quiet. We stop in little villages that tourist never venture in and the locals speak NO English. We have managed to eat the plate de jour a few times, order Pain Chocolates and Pain Raisins for breakfast without damage the international relations between France the the U.S. We find ourselves in the French culture, ordering cafe au'lait or just cafe straight up for a morning and afternoon hit. We been waking a fair bit, but I see not balance of the calories consumed and the calories burned, so I have to trust God's grace to burn them off in my sleep.
After driving over the beautiful mountain range and seeing the sleepy houses that line the roads, many standing hundreds of years and often ready for some new roof tiles, we wound down to lower plains. One of the many villages had a sign for frommage direct and we jumped at the opportunity to get further off the beaten path. Buy the cheese from the dairy; we bought fresh munster cheese (nothing like munster in America) in Munster at this beautiful dairy farm with a very high standard of cleanlyness. Next was going in to pet the bull calves ready to be sold off; they were so fun and I'd love to have a half dozen back home.
The fields that we had experienced from the Loire valley to Burgandy were half mustard seed in full bloom of yellow and the other half of wheat in dark green (it was a U of O dream) and we couldn't believe that there was such a need for mustard as we saw thousands and thousands of hectars of blooming mustard.... it was beautiful.
While in Munster, we picked up a loaf of fresh bread, some girkens (little pickles), olives, apples, and some local red wine. After our three-course "plate de jour", our groceries would serve up as our dinner and an early rest in bed. OH, the munster was stinky, but once aired, it was very good.
We have been driving an Opel diesel car and it has done very well. It fits our needs well, but diesel runs 1.45 euro/liter, so between fuel and toll roads the first couple of days of chateau viewings, we will walk much of tomorrow. Exploring is on tap and trying to interface with more and more locals. We have found the Alsatians very friendly, and as a whole everyone in France has been very hospitable even with our lace of language skills.
Yesterday in Beaune, the "capital of Burgandy", we saw a hospital that dates back to the 15th century, it was called the Hospice of Beaune, but better know as the Palace of the Poof. It ran until 1971 as a hospital that cared for the poor and rich alike, side by side. It was amazing to see and we didn't even know it was there except we were lead by our hearts to explore the city and see what was in it. This multi-paneled painting done by Wagner 1399-14something was incredible to see the detail and grasp of man's choice.
We have seen a number of churches, but unfortunately, they are now memorials to a faith that was once very vibrant. The buildings lack people and the Spirit of God in them and it isn't improving with the future generations. Past generations knew of the Master and the transformation of lives; those lives willing to care for the poor, tend the sick and comfort the helpless. I don't know what it will take, but God does. People can be so blind to how much they are loved by the God that created them.
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