Grateful
Shortly after I was born, my father led his family across the United States from Fort Lee, Virginia, to the West Coast. His family of five boarded a ship to travel on the Pacific to Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii. I don’t remember the trip, but I’m sure it must have been a challenging one with a three month old, a two year old, and a six year old in tow. In fact, I don’t recall much about the three years we lived in Hawaii except that my dad wasn’t there.
Instead, he was one of the many that flew to Vietnam to be part of war that many Americans did not believe in. I do not know what he experienced there, but I can understand why hechooses not to talk about it much. After I studied history and looked at pictures, I tried to imagine a 27 year old father of three leading a group of soldiers in harm’s way in a foreign land. It was scary just to think about it. When he returned home from his assignment overseas, I’m told that I was afraid of the stranger who walked through the door.
My father often mentions the sacrifices we made as Army brats; we were always packing up, saying goodbye to friends, and traveling miles to unfamiliar places. I think those sacrifices pale in comparison to the one my dad and many others made at that time to serve our country. I believe risking your life for your country is quite monumental, especially when some show ingratitude. I’m not sure many Americans would make the choice to risk their lives for their country, but I’m thankful for those that do. Right now in our country there are many serving as essential workers, risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones to help fight on the frontlines against an unseen enemy. Huge personal sacrifices haven been made during this pandemic to rescue those battling corona virus from an untimely death.
In the midst of one of the most difficult times in our history, let us not forget that true love always involves sacrifice. Our greatest example is found in God’s love for us. In Romans 5:8 the apostle Paul says “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Isn’t that amazing? Even though we were sinning, running from Him, and even rejecting Him, Christ willingly died for us on the cross. He did not wait for us to believe in Him, do good things for Him, or even love Him in return! Even in the garden, Jesus had a choice. He could have made a u-turn, but instead he sacrificed His will for His Father’s will. Especially during a pandemic, we all need to reflect on and remember this extraordinary act of love.
Yesterday we took a long road trip from Connecticut to Maryland to visit my dad and mom for only a few hours. When we arrived, my 83 year old father was sitting on the steps waiting for our visit. I couldn’t help but think of my Heavenly Father waiting for each of us to run into His arms. Thankfully, there’s no social distancing in heaven! When we got out of the car, I quickly noticed that my dad and mom had already set up chairs under the shade of a beautiful tree for our visit. They had prepared a place for us! Jesus, too, has prepared a place for us because someday we will be with Him. Spending time with loved ones today is a wonderful gift, but let us not forget the greatest gift of all. In these days of great suffering, we must continue to remind one another and ourselves of God’s sacrificial love and the glory that will be revealed to us when we are with Him forever. Remember, this is not our home. Are you truly grateful for God’s gift of eternal life?
