The Ultimate Sacrifice
On April 14, 2004, two young Marines learned what it means to owe someone for your life. On patrol near the Syrian border with Iraq their unit, including Corporal Jason Dunham, engaged the enemy. Dunham found himself in hand-to-hand combat with an insurgent who dropped a live hand grenade. In a split-second decision the corporal covered the deadly bomb with his helmet, shielding two of his fellow Marines from its full explosive force. His brothers-in-arms lived but Jason Dunham died eight days later.
A grateful country awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to this brave Marine for his sacrifice but it is his friends who most understand what it means to live and die sacrificially. They know that, like so many other Medal of Honor recipients who have throw their lives on hand grenades to save other, Cpl. Dunham died so that THEY might live.
In a magnificent parallel, Christians are called to throw their lives on the Devil’s hand grenades of life so that others may live. Sometimes these bombs in the Disciple’s way are minor: the Sunday morning crisis in the church nursery when not enough workers show up and someone throws him or herself over the problem by volunteering to step into the chaotic world of crying babies. Others demand the ultimate sacrifices of one’s life: the growing list of martyrs who have died for the cause of Christ reaches back to Stephen in the Book of Acts.
In my sermon, “The Biblical Patriot,” I speak of the three kingdoms we must live in as Disciples: the Kingdom Without (the Government of America), the Kingdom Above (the Government of God) and the Kingdom Within (the Government of Self). Our first priority on earth is the Kingdom Above; but that reality is given substance by how we rule the Kingdom Within. It is then we are qualified best to contribute to the Kingdom Without. The Patriot of the Kingdom who bleeds first for the will of King Jesus will bleed best as a Patriot of his or her Country! May our Lord grant that we conquer self and be His kind of patriot for both. Let’s yield to Him and do it, even though it means throwing all we have on the hand grenades that the “enemy” continually throws into our lives!
On April 14, 2004, two young Marines learned what it means to owe someone for your life. On patrol near the Syrian border with Iraq their unit, including Corporal Jason Dunham, engaged the enemy. Dunham found himself in hand-to-hand combat with an insurgent who dropped a live hand grenade. In a split-second decision the corporal covered the deadly bomb with his helmet, shielding two of his fellow Marines from its full explosive force. His brothers-in-arms lived but Jason Dunham died eight days later.
A grateful country awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to this brave Marine for his sacrifice but it is his friends who most understand what it means to live and die sacrificially. They know that, like so many other Medal of Honor recipients who have throw their lives on hand grenades to save other, Cpl. Dunham died so that THEY might live.
In a magnificent parallel, Christians are called to throw their lives on the Devil’s hand grenades of life so that others may live. Sometimes these bombs in the Disciple’s way are minor: the Sunday morning crisis in the church nursery when not enough workers show up and someone throws him or herself over the problem by volunteering to step into the chaotic world of crying babies. Others demand the ultimate sacrifices of one’s life: the growing list of martyrs who have died for the cause of Christ reaches back to Stephen in the Book of Acts.
In my sermon, “The Biblical Patriot,” I speak of the three kingdoms we must live in as Disciples: the Kingdom Without (the Government of America), the Kingdom Above (the Government of God) and the Kingdom Within (the Government of Self). Our first priority on earth is the Kingdom Above; but that reality is given substance by how we rule the Kingdom Within. It is then we are qualified best to contribute to the Kingdom Without. The Patriot of the Kingdom who bleeds first for the will of King Jesus will bleed best as a Patriot of his or her Country! May our Lord grant that we conquer self and be His kind of patriot for both. Let’s yield to Him and do it, even though it means throwing all we have on the hand grenades that the “enemy” continually throws into our lives!
Photo Credit: Army Sgt. Osvaldo Ortiz sleeps next to the flag-draped transfer case and personal gear of his fallen friend aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft bound for Dover Air Force Base, Del. Ortiz accompanied the remains from Afghanistan to Dover AFB and eventually back to the soldier's home in Puerto Rico - June 2003. Photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Rimar.
1 comment:
I was in the ICU in the Green Zone while the doctors were preparing Corporal Jason Dunham for the long flight home...
Who am I?
Well, I'm the same guy who took the photograph you used for this specific post.
It really is a small world.
Best Regards
Peter Rimar
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