The Sound of Freedom

I was recently at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, for my 35th class reunion.  Navy played (and beat!) Tulane in the homecoming game.  And before the start of every football game, Navy jets make a flyover of the stadium, a flyover that's perfectly timed to coincide with the Navy players running onto the field.  

We were in our tailgate area before the game, when suddenly, we heard them.  The jets!  We all got quiet.  I forgot how loud and impressive a flyover is!

When the jets had passed, one of my classmates said, "And that's the sound of freedom."  



 Yeah!  "The sound of freedom."  

Amidst the festivities of reunion weekend, and all the excitement of seeing old classmates...well, I was reminded what it's all about, what we, as Naval Academy graduates, were and are all about.   

"Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."  

Freedom isn't cheap; and it takes all military personnel - not just infantrymen, sailors, and fighter pilots, but admin clerks, warehouse clerks, military police, mess cooks, truck drivers, mechanics, everyone.  All of our military contributes to the "sound of freedom" that we enjoy in this country.

And not to take anything away from our military personnel and veterans...

But it's also the Lord who I give thanks to, thanks that He has given us a country where we live in peace, provision, and abundance, much more than any place in history has ever enjoyed.

And Jesus..

He "set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51) to die for the sins of the world. 

He came "to proclaim liberty to the captives" (Luke 4:18), to "set us free" from sin, death, and Satan. 

Take, eat, and drink for the forgiveness of your sins.

It is finished.

Your sins are forgiven.

The sound of freedom.

This weekend, remember to thank our veterans and active duty military personnel for freedom in this country.  And - Go Navy, Beat Army.

More importantly, thank the Lord for freedom in this life and the life to come. 

Amen; Come Lord Jesus.