From the Inside Out

Capt. Richard Phillips was freed today from pirates who held him hostage on a tiny lifeboat in the Indian Ocean. After a five-day standoff between the pirates and the military, good triumphed over evil.

It seems fitting that Capt. Phillips regained his freedom on the day we celebrate Easter — the day Jesus rose again thereby freeing us from our bondages. Like Capt. Phillips, we were once held captive — unable to break free, unable to pay the ransom that would deliver us from sin and death, but God provided a way out.

In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were offered as an atonement for sin. When God accepted the sacrifice, He “passed over” the judgment of human sin for a year. Yet these sacrifices were only a temporary covering. They never paid for the sins of the people.

Sin comes at a high cost. The penalty for it is death. The only way to find true redemption is for a blameless individual — one without sin — to substitute himself as payment for these sins. So God came up with a plan. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, into the world to become this person. That’s the depth of His love for us — it’s truly amazing.

The sacrifice He made is shocking. I am deeply moved every time I ponder it. The fact that someone so great would love me enough to die in my place is almost unfathomable, but it happened. He did it — for me and for you.

That act alone warrants my undying love and gratitude, but the great thing is that the story doesn’t stop there. Jesus not only suffered and died, but He conquered the grave and rose again. His sacrificial act provided redemption from sin and also eternal life.

That’s why I praise Him, not only on Easter Sunday, but every day I live. He is worthy. He is wonderful. He is my best friend. He is my redeemer. He is my Saviour, and He is alive!

Happy Easter.

Tomorrow is the fourth of July. It’s the day we celebrate our independence from Britain and the day democracy was born. For most Americans, it will be filled with family gatherings, picnics, parades, and fireworks. We will laugh, and we will play. We will celebrate a day off from work. We will enjoy the freedoms our country generously grants to us.

Amidst all of the fun, let’s not forget that freedom isn’t free. A high price was paid for the liberty we enjoy. Even today, many brave men and women are sacrificing their time and their freedom to fight for our country. They stand between us and those who want to cause us harm. They vow to protect us and our liberty — even at the expense of their own lives.

As you celebrate the holiday tomorrow, don’t forget to say a quick prayer for the men and women who are fighting daily to protect us. And when you watch the fireworks light up the night sky, remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Happy Birthday America!

Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama battled tonight in a tense debate televised on ABC.  It is six days before their showdown in Philadelphia.  As each day passes, the pressure is mounting for both candidates.  They have been fighting it out for over a year.  Each one is fiercely campaigning in city after city with no clear winner emerging.  It continues to be a long, hard fought battle — one that will probably continue raging right up until the Democratic convention in August.

Frankly, I was beginning to get tired of it all — the political bantering, jabs, attacks, and talk show discussions — until I received a disturbing call from one of my employees.  This call reminded me how lucky I am to live in a country where we have the freedom to express our beliefs and vote according to those beliefs without the threat of violence or bloodshed. 

During the call, I learned that this individual grew up in Kenya.  His parents still live there.  That is, they did until a few short months ago.  After the elections last year, extreme violence erupted.  Hundreds of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the country to escape the violence. 

His parents escaped, but they left everything behind — their home, their business, and their lives.  They are living temporarily in India with friends.  Thinking the violence would die down quickly, they had originally planned to be away for only a couple of weeks.  It’s been months since they left, and they are still frightened to go home.  Nothing has improved.  In fact, four more people died yesterday. 

These people are the same age as my parents.  They are stranded with only a few belongings, not knowing where to go or what to do.  They can’t return home, and they can’t stay in India.

I can’t begin to imagine how horrific that must be.  Instantly, I felt ashamed for taking my freedom for granted.  We live in one of the greatest countries in the world.  Sure, it’s not perfect, but we can express our beliefs.  We can participate in a democratic election process and have confidence that our country will not falter or be subjected to extreme violence resulting from elections. 

No matter what you think of the election process or the candidates, you should remember how lucky we are to have the freedoms and security we enjoy today.  Don’t take it lightly.  Don’t complain.  And don’t take it for granted.  There are hundreds of thousands of refugees who would gladly give everything to switch places with us.