WHAT ARE YOU WAVING?

Sure I wave the American flag.  Do you know a better flag to wave?

Sure I love my country with all her faults.

I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.

John Wayne

The American Flag.  Just the mention of it gets us all riled up, doesn’t it?  It stirs us to love, hate, fear, gratitude, commitment, reverence, pride, disappointment, anger, allegiance, something.

It stirs me to love.  Many different loves.  I think of those who loved me enough to die for me, even though they didn’t know me.  To die for me so that I might have freedom.  Freedom, while on this earth to write this blog, to go to work, to live in my home, to worship my God, all unencumbered, for now.  This kind of love is devastatingly costly.  I honor those who have paid the ultimate price so that I and others around the world may have freedom.  We use the American Flag as a symbol of that freedom.  We revere it, wave it boldly and defend it.

The American Flag has 13 white and red stripes representing the original colonies.  The colonies were founded for different reasons.  Some for business reasons, some for religious reasons.  All with independence from the crown in mind.  This is similar to the Cross of Christ isn’t it?  Don’t both have stripes?

But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities:

the chastisement of our peace was upon him;

and with his stripes we are healed…he was whipped and we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

John Wayne spoke so boldly of the American Flag.  Can I, will I, speak so boldly of the Cross of Christ?  You see the Cross of Christ is another symbol of freedom – the ultimate freedom – the eternal freedom.

Shouldn’t we also seek independence?  Freedom from the dependence on sin?  Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.  The price was devastatingly costly.  He was wounded, striped for our transgressions, so that we might have peace.  He died so that we would have freedom, freedom to choose life.  Freedom from hurt and brokenness.  His wounds heal our wounds!

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

How great is our Lord!  His power is absolute!

His understanding is beyond comprehension!

Psalm 147:3-5

Isn’t this land, and our kinsmen in it, in desperate need of having its wounds bandaged, it’s brokenness repaired?  You know healing for the wounded and brokenhearted has already been accomplished.

The stars on the flag are named, named for each State that makes up the union.  It’s the same for the Cross  – our names are stitched on hands that were nailed to the cross, the name of each person that makes up His Eternal Kingdom.  Count them.

Freedom and independence are not to be taken lightly.  In order to be freed and independent, you have to leave captivity and dependence.  We have to leave the known, no matter how bad it is, for the unknown, no matter how good it is.  We have to turn from sin – He has freed us from bondage.

The American Flag represents our physical freedom.  The Cross of Christ represents our eternal freedom.  Only by waving the Cross of Christ can we also wave the American Flag and thus experience true freedom and independence.

 Sure I wave the Cross of Christ.  Do you know a better Cross to wave?

Sure I love my Jesus, the perfect Son of God.

I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.

By his stripes we are healed.  By his wounds we are healed.  By the Cross of Christ we are made whole.  Do you know a better Cross to wave?