Thought for the week: Let us all be worthy of God's astonishing love!
During the summer of 1997 our family were passing close to Curracloe strand in Co Wexford, and we noticed something significant was going on. It turned out they were making a film: the opening sequence for Steven Spielberg’s ‘Saving Private Ryan’.
This depicted the Allied invasion of Omaha beach in Normandy on the 6th of June, 1944. In this story, members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion of the Allied force under Captain John Millar, fought a bitter battle.
Amid the fighting, two brothers were killed in action. Not long before, a third brother from the same family had also been killed, and the widowed mother Mrs Ryan was due to receive all three telegrams on the same day. Back in the United States, the Chief of Staff was given the opportunity to alleviate some of this woman’s grief when he learned that there was a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, still alive. He decided to send out a detachment to find him and attempt to bring him back home, safe to his mother.
When James Ryan was found, he refused to leave his unit until reinforcements arrived, but before that could take place a huge Nazi enemy force attacked them. The Allies prevailed but with terrible casualties.
As the movie ended, Captain Millar sat dying of the wounds sustained while saving Private Ryan. With his final breath he pulled the young soldier close and whispered “Earn it. Earn it”. In other words, good men have died for you. Live a life worthy of their sacrifice.
Tomorrow is Remembrance Sunday when we have an opportunity to commemorate those who heroically lost their lives in wars. It is also a moment to remember that other even greater rescue mission which God made for us when the Lord Jesus sacrificially gave up His life on the cross, so that we, though completely undeserving, might be brought back home safe and sound, and with His help go on to live a life worthy of His astonishing love.