Washington's Crossing

Late yesterday morning I felt the urge to go to ACU's opening chapel. Though I've attended it many times, I'm always so moved by the parade of flags (a stream of students march into the coliseum carrying the flag of their state or country). And of course I joined the crowd in being blown away by the ACU band and chorus playing and singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Then I was moved by music professor Paul Piersall's reading of the preamble to our country's constitution just before this huge American flag is unfurled on stage and then we stand to sing our national anthem.

Though I do love our country, I'm not all that overly patriotic. I think we need to be careful to not wrap our flag around the cross. And that's why I appreciated Dr. Money's words prior to this ceremony, when he spoke to the international students about how God doesn't favor America over other nations.

And yet...when those drums were played, that giant flag dropped down in front of us (filled with red, white and blue glitter) and we began singing the national anthem, I started to cry and I could barely sing. My mind and heart raced back to a pivotal story of the Revolutionary War that I had been reading lately in the book, Washington's Crossing. Here's an excerpt from the book cover:

"Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutoin was all but lost. A powerful British forced had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies,and advanced within sight of Philadelphia. George Washington lost 90 percent of his army. Panic and despair spread through the states. However, Washington and many other Americans refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor-easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked Trenton, New Jersey...The Americans held off a counterattack by the best troops of British commander Lord Cornwallis...In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their (the British army) suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined."

As we sang that song yesterday, I choked up as I remembered the description of these American patriots marching on frigid ground, many of them in boots worn out. Their feet were bleeding. They were exhausted and hungry. But they kept marching and kept fighting courageously and tenaciously for the freedom of the colonies. And finally, under Washington's brilliant leadership, they wore down the British and secured independence for this country.

While reading this book, I realized how little I knew about this war. And, as cliche as it sounds, I had taken for granted this freedom we Americans enjoy which was purchased by the literal blood, sweat and tears of these brave soldiers. And so, I choked up while gazing at that flag and attempting to sing our national anthem.

As my day went on yesterday, the obvious parallel came to mind. When I think of how emotionally gripped I was as I looked at that American flag and remembered all those soldiers who suffered and died to make this country free (let alone those who fought in subsequent wars against America's enemies), I thought about the cross. When I look at that cross, do I stop and ponder and even weep when I reflect on what the innocent lamb of God did to die for a man like me, guilty of sin -- and deserving nothing but death? I want to weep when I gaze on that cross and sing songs like "O Sacred Head How Wounded."

The cross is the declaration of independence for those in Christ. Because of that great sacrifice, I want to praise Jesus all of my life because He has set me free. Freed to live for Him and with Him forever.