The
Sound of Freedom
But Jesus made no
reply, not even to a single charge…
Matthew 27:14
Lieutenant Colonel,
Ian ‘Krank’ Taggart, is a jet jockey. Having flown thousands of
missions during ‘Operation Desert Storm’, the War in Iraq, and
the current war in Afghanistan, he has earned the right to speak
about the cost of war.
“The price of freedom isn’t free,
and the sound of freedom isn’t quiet,” Taggart said in an
interview for a recent television documentary. He clarified his
statements, “Millions of men and women have sacrificed their time,
careers, and many their lives, in the fight to preserve freedom
around the world.”
The picture cut from Taggart to show
clips of jets flying over burned-out vehicles along stretches of
highway in Iraq. The image switched to one of wounded soldiers being
carried off the battlefield on a stretcher. The next clip was of
several flag-draped caskets being carried onto transport planes;
soldiers who had given their all were going home. It was impossible
to look at these images without feeling the weight of their
sacrifice.
Then the image of Lieutenant Colonel
Taggart was once again front and center, his F-22 Raptor directly
behind him. Pointing at the aircraft, he said, “If you’ve ever
heard one of these get airborne you might imagine how loud the skies
above the battlefield can be.” With a look that matched the tone of
his voice, he said, “No, the price of freedom isn’t free, and the
sound of freedom isn’t quiet.”
†
Many have paid a high
price for us to live a life free from the tyranny of dictators and
would-be conquerors. The price of war is great and we should never
take that for granted.
But, the most important
war in history was fought in silence; the outcome of which provided a
freedom otherwise unattainable. When accused of the crime of heresy,
Jesus uttered not a word. He could have called legions of angels to
destroy His accusers, but remained silent; that silence cost Him His
life…and purchased eternal freedom for all who will receive it.
Though the war for
freedom on earth may continue, we can rest in the knowledge that our
eternal freedom is no longer in jeopardy. Jesus ended that war with
one loving act of silent surrender.
Prayer
“Thank You, Jesus, for
dying in silence so I can be eternally free. I accept that sacrifice
now and ask You to come into my heart and make me whole. Amen.”
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