"Willing To Die"

Ken Davidson

                                          Pete Lemon is a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War. He speaks highly of his platoon leader Lieutenant Peters who was in his words: fearless, intelligent, college educated, and athletic -- who always looked out for his soldiers. Eleven years after the war, Lt. Peters found himself in a VA hospital where he would live out his days. Once while visiting Lt. Peters, Pete Lemon heard him say "You know, we're prisoners of war." When he asked him to explain he said: "Emotionally. We are all prisoners of war. It's the price we pay for serving our country. And if I had to do it again, I would pay the price." These are the sacrifices we extol while celebrating Memorial Day each year.

      We sing the hymn "Nailed to the cross." It begins: "There was one who was willing to die in my stead, that a soul so unworthy might live." Jesus himself stated in Hebrews 10:5 "A body have you prepared for me." We know Jesus knew what the destiny of that body was, and it was carried out on the cross. This was done for "the world." Not for friends, but for the enemies of God, which all of us, in our sins, were. Jesus knew ahead of time what the price would be, and he was willing to pay that price for all of humankind. No wonder Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 6:20 not to forget -- "you were bought with a price!" That is one reason we "remember" every Sunday the price that was paid for us. It is a very small price for us to pay.         q