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The signs are all around us. Quite literally.
Plaques on walls; statues in parks; messages on tombstones cut deep to last centuries. Yet still we forget, and just assume that today’s “normal” has always been like that.
We count as normal that we are free to express our political opinions and vote people in and out. We count as normal that our laws protect us from people stealing our belongings, telling lies about us, or physically harming us. We count as normal that Christian believers are free to meet and pray and share the gospel with others. We count as normal that, by and large, we can walk our streets without fear.
But it is not so.
Our freedom to live this life of relative freedom has been paid for repeatedly in blood.
Our freedom to live this life of relative freedom has been paid for repeatedly in blood.
Remembrance day is not a celebration of military victories, or the strength of arms. It should never be a jingoistic glorying in war for its own sake. Rather it is a day of sober reflection that the freedoms we now enjoy were bought with a terrible price against the ever-present forces in our world that would rob us of them. Men and women fought and died—sometimes senselessly, sometimes purposefully. They died to give us the peace that we enjoy now. So we set apart a special day and stand or sit in silence for 2 minutes. It’s why buttonholes sprout a remembrance poppy. It’s why we mark Remembrance Sunday in our churches. Lest we forget. Lest we forget.
But the greatest gift we can give thanks for today is a freedom won by the greatest peacemaker—our saviour Jesus. What seemed like the most senseless and futile of deaths—foolishness—was actually at the very centre of the eternal purposes of God.
"For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1 v 19-20)
It’s why Christians regularly share a symbolic meal of bread and wine. Lest we forget that walking in our world as forgiven sinners—free from guilt is not “normal” but was won at an enormous price on the cross of Christ.
I get emotional when I remember those who fought and died for our freedoms. And I rightly get emotional when I sing the words of this old chorus:
On Calvary’s tree
He died for me
That I his love might know
To set me free
He died for me
That’s why I love him so
(A. W. Edsor)
Tim Thornborough is the founder and Publishing Director of The Good Book Company. He is series editor of Explore Bible-reading notes, the author of The Very Best Bible Stories series, and has contributed to many books published by The Good Book Company and others. Tim is married to Kathy and has three adult daughters.
