The Price Of Our Two-Hundred Thirty-four Years of Liberty!

Written by Scott Phelps

With July 4th soon upon us and the celebration of our nation’s independence and freedom looming, I bring you a story that happened just recently to my in-laws, and one that brings tears to my eyes each time it is told.
I am not the most patriotic person around, but I love my country and served my country for nearly 10 years in the United States Air Force.

With the changes happening in America today, I hope you will find, as I did, that this story touches that part of the heart that swells our patriotic pride and makes you thankful to be an American!

Living far away from family can sometimes be hard to deal with, but when family visits happen, it is a highlight. My wife’s parents (whom I call Dad and Mom) are visiting us from Michigan. We are enjoying good times of reminiscing and just reacquainting ourselves together.

When they travel here, they really enjoy the route through northern Michigan, into the Upper Peninsula and across through Wisconsin and Minnesota which leads them along HWY 2, and right into North Dakota. This route is dotted with small towns where one can enjoy the majestic views of the Great Lakes, the pleasant scenes of the northern woodland, and the fine food of the small town café.

Dad is a veteran of the Korean War and proudly wears his “Korean War Veteran” cap where ever he goes.

Wherever he travels, this display of service leads him into engrossing conversations and much repeated stories with other veterans or service men, whether active duty or retired. This trip was no different.  As they stopped for breakfast in a small Michigan town, Dad was once again wearing his cap with pride. Inside the restaurant, Mom and Dad met another older couple. The man noticed Dad’s cap and, well, you guessed it. He was a veteran too. Immediately, talk of “their time in the service” pursued.

What unit were you in? Where did you serve? And so forth.

When their food came, both men went their separate ways to enjoy their meal. As the meal ended and it came time to leave, Mom was beginning to get anxious knowing they needed to get back on the road and wondering why the waitress seemed to be ignoring them.

Upon getting the attention of the waitress, she asked for the bill. The waitress smiled and politely said, “Well, your bill has been paid. Your bill and the other couple’s bill were both paid by the young couple sitting a few tables over.”

This is interesting Mom thought. She got up and walked over to the young couple as they were enjoying their coffee. She humbly thanked them but told them that it wasn’t necessary to do what they had done. The young man replied, “I know it wasn’t necessary, but we wanted to do that for both of you to honor your husbands and show our gratitude for their service to our country.”

As I heard that story I thought to myself, “WOW! There’s something you don’t see every day! Someone who is actually appreciative of the sacrifice others have made for them! It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about that act of kindness.

It also makes me think about another bill that has been paid. This one was paid on my behalf. Paid in full! My sin bill has been paid for, with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus not only paid the entire bill for all humanity, He gave Himself -- to do it! Am I thankful? Are you thankful? Are we, as a nation, appreciative for the sacrifices that have been made that we might be free? So many men just like my father-in-law, put themselves on the line that we might have political, religious and so many other freedoms.
These freedoms that we enjoy in America are nice to have, but are nothing in comparison to the freedom that Jesus gives. The Lord Jesus Christ put Himself on the cross, that we might have freedom from sin. Freedom from the wages of our sin. Are we as thankful for that, as the young man was for the military service of those veterans he saw in a restaurant?

I find this thought worth pondering this year, as we celebrate 234 years of our nation’s freedom.

“Thank you, Lord…for liberty in America and for freedom from sin that I have found through repentance of sin and faith in You!”