What price Freedom?

I was recently invited to go to the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas in Staffordshire with my friend Betty from the Salvation Army. I stayed with my daughter the previous evening as the coach was leaving from Belper, so I had a wonderful evening with my daughter and a wonderful day with my friend Betty, a double blessing. 

I had never heard of this memorial park before and I was quite overwhelmed when I saw it, there were so many memorials for so many different kinds of groups and individuals and it is being added to all the time. We went round on the train which gave a running commentary of the various memorials we were passing I only wish I could fully explain the deep emotional effect it had on me, and the deep gratitude I felt for all those who had paid the ultimate price for my freedom, and the freedom of all who live in our land. We also went into the chapel which was as expected a very calm and serene place. I took so many photographs that I really don't know which ones to share, but you should be able to see them here: Staffordshire We only stayed for a few hours, ideally you need a whole day because there are parts of the gardens that the train does not go to and so we missed some of them. I did manage a walk around afterward but couldn't go too far. The weather was glorious and the company was lovely.

There was one particular memorial that struck me which was the Korean War memorial of 1950-1953 which said, "Freedom is not free". There is a great cost for freedom as anyone living in a democratic society will know. Many in our own country have given their lives and are still giving their lives for the freedom of our nation, it is a sobering thought and we should always remember their willingness to die for our freedom. 

But the greatest freedom there is is not democracy, it is not freedom of a nation it is a freedom that has to do with individuals, a freedom from darkness, a freedom from sin, a freedom from fear and this has been payed for at a great cost to our Creator God and His Son Jesus Christ who was willing to take the punishment for our sins in order that we may know true lasting freedom. 

Our country owes a huge debt to those who gave their lives, but greater still is the debt we owe for our salvation, but it is a debt we can never, ever repay, and thankfully we don't have to because it is all of grace .