War Isn’t a Game

War isn’t a game.

Did you let your kids have toy guns? I tried to keep them from my sons, but they would “make” their own. A stick, a pencil, or a piece of toast minus some bites would create their cowboy weapons and a pyoo-pyoo or a bang-bang was all the sound they needed.

Star Wars has replaced cowboy westerns

Today, my granddaughters are big Star Wars fans, so that franchise has taken the place of the western. Did you know that some have likened the Star Wars universe to the cowboy era of the nineteenth century? When you think about it, it’s pretty obvious there are good guys and bad guys and marshals who try to maintain law and order.

Too many battles and wars

Unfortunately, many battles today aren’t just make-believe. News reports abound with updates from Ukraine, Russia, and many other parts of the world. There are rumors of other countries where war is threatened or imminent.

The US has had her share of battles, some fought at home, but many waged overseas. Yet all were fought to maintain freedom, ours and others’.

Life without freedoms

Have you ever thought what your life would be like without the freedoms you enjoy? You would probably not be able to go wherever you want, read whatever you choose, and worship any way you like. In an episode of “The Golden Girls,” a visitor from a communist country brags that at home she has air conditioning, a fan, and an electric toothbrush. “And I’m on the list to get electricity very soon!” Give it a minute to imagine how much different every day would be if that was your world.

Now, take a moment to think of all the military personnel it took for all the wars that have beenwaged over the centuries. Some came home; many did not. What a sacrifice they made so you could enjoy the free life you have.

Freedom in Christ

There is another type of freedom: the freedom we have in Christ. Satan would want us to be held captive by the guilt we have over mistakes we have made. But Galatians 5:1tells us,
“Christ has set us free to life a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (MSG)

We are free not only in where we live but also in how we live – as heirs to the throne of God. Our past no longer defines or confines us because of His love and forgiveness.

Enjoy the freedoms we have

So let’s enjoy the freedoms we have and not take them for granted. Many have died to let us be free, including the Son of God. Let’s also remember the sacrifices others have made so that we can have a better life than we could have imagined. Jesus tells us, “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (John 10:10, MSG)

 

Lord, thank you for the freedoms we enjoy and the life eternal you’ve given us. Help us to always appreciate what you and others have done for us. Amen.