Dear Church Family,
There has been much to celebrate this week. On Monday fans of “Stars Wars” commemorated the day years ago in a galaxy far away when Yoda developed a lisp. On Tuesday the phone line to order food at La Carreta was so busy I could not get the “Chef’s Special” to properly mark Cinco de Mayo. News has come out letting us know that the “shelter in place” restrictions will be modified in the coming days, though many details remain to be hashed out. That deserves three cheers!!!
On Wednesday without little hoopla came the 75th anniversary of V-E Day. I was born 13 years later, but both my mother and father reminded my family every year growing up how they reacted when they heard the news that Allied troops had captured Berlin and Germany had surrendered to bring an end to World War II in Europe. My mother ran into the streets near Washington, DC to joyously sing and shout with neighbors. My very proper grandmother (though she denied for years) even danced a little gig as word of the victory overwhelmed her. My dad was stationed stateside at an Army base. He told of incredible jubilation with officers hugging enlisted men, being granted extra rations and relaxed regulations on the base.
The war did not end until Japan surrendered four months later. In less than four years of conflict over 400,000 US troops had lost their lives and almost another 700,000 were wounded. Countless families grieved the loss and lives were scarred by the ugliness of war. Our country remains forever indebted to all who served – whether in the military or in civilian ways – to defeat the Axis. I shudder to think what life would be like if the other side had won.
What would like be like if Jesus had not come to pay the penalty of sin and defeat our enemies of sin and death? We would be under the rule of sin and death – two forces much worse than faced in World War II. I John 5:4-5 reminds of what Jesus has done. “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” That is worth celebrating!
With great hope,
Pastor Gillikin