The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial is striking in its simplicity. Etched in its black granite walls are the names of 58,156 Americans who died in that war.
Since its opening in 1982 that stark monument has stirred deep emotions. Many visitors walk its length slowly and reverently. Some stop before certain names, remembering their son, their sweetheart, their husband or father or brother or relative or friend, wiping away tears and often tracing their names with their fingers.
For three Vietnam veterans,
ROBERT BEDKER, WILLIAM CRAIG and DARRELL LAUSCH,
a visit to the memorial must be especially poignant.
They can walk along the long ebony wall and
FIND THEIR OWN NAMES
CARVED IN THE STONE.
Because of data coding errors, each of them
was incorrectly listed as killed in action.
They are listed as DEAD but they are ALIVE
DEAD BUT ALIVE!
Isn’t that (shouldn’t that) be an adequate description of the Christian?
Jesus said that if anyone wanted to be His follower, he must take up his cross.
[Mark 8:34. Matt 10:38-39, 16:24-26, Luke 9:23-25]
As anyone who originally heard those words would have understood,
the only person who carried a cross was on his way to death
- as good as dead, for there was no way out.
Jesus was clearly saying that to be His disciple,
we need to count ourselves – our own desires, our own will –
as DEAD.
Paul continued the thought in Romans, saying our old nature is crucified with Christ,
that we are dead to sin but alive unto God.
We are DEAD.
We are crucified with Christ.
We are dead to sin; dead to self and self-will,
but . . .
we are ALIVE in Christ.
We are risen with Christ, alive in Him,
living in the power of His resurrection.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God
who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Salvation is free
but discipleship costs everything we are and everything we have
Is that a high cost? Definitely NO!
God is no man’s debtor.
God gives so much MORE to the person who leaves all choices with Him.
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AMEN, I once was lost but now I’m found… was blind but now I see! May the Lord bless each and every family that has lost a loved one and let Him gently remind us all of the need to be tahnkful for the sacrifices that hae been made on our behalf. Thank you to all those who have served our great nation in the military and thank you Angela for this wonderful posting.
Thank you for remembering the fallen and those who still serve, Rob. As one who lived through WWII in Germany’s top target area of Southampton, I have personal reason to be thankful for those who serve.
In those years I was dead spiritually, but praise God for drawing me to Himself and giving me new life in Christ! I am ALIVE in Him. His life is within and He blesses abundantly.
What an amazing God!
Praise the Lord, I am dead to sin and self, and I am alive unto God because of my Risen Lord and His redeeming love! Yes, I would like to shout it from the highest mountain tops so that all may know that for me to live is Christ today.. He is my reason for living and so is He for many other Faith children of God.
Yes, and today He calls to whoever will, to come alive from being dead in sin, and to live unto Him by His grace and mercy.
If you are not spiritually alive today, He wants to give you eternal life with your acceptance of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of your life.
Still some more good news.. when this physical life is over for me, I will forever live with Him in heaven. Jesus Christ defeated the sting of death by his resurrection from the dead, and beyond the pale of physical death, there is everlasting joy in heaven. For me then, to die in my body, will be gain in heaven as it is with so many of Christ’s disciples who have gone before us. So we keep spiritually alive till that day and we shall see Him face to face and be with Him forever and you can be there too if you choose Jesus over your sins. Hallellujah!
Amen, He is our reason for living and the life He gives is abundant, free and rewarding.
Thank you for adding that call to those who do not know the blessings of being made ALIVE in Christ. The life He offers is available to all. The life He offers is a life of freedom – freedom from the penalty and power of sin; freedom from the doubts and worries of this life; freedom from slavery to sinful habits; freedom from all that would bog us down. The life He offers gives peace and joy in the midst of all our struggles. The life He offers gives us HIS own power to live for His glory. The life He offers gives us His own presence to guide and protect us through the storms of life.
We serve an amazing God!