Hacksaw Ridge

After a short hike, we arrived at a beautiful plateau atop a 400 foot sheer cliff known as Hacksaw Ridge.  If you’ve seen the movie, you know it was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in World War II.  I read that 2,500 Americans were killed there and perhaps twice as many Japanese. Images from the movie flashed into my mind. Standing there in my flimsy flip flops, knowing the ground beneath my feet was blood-soaked ground, was an eerie feeling. I didn’t have any flowers to leave, nor was there any soldier left to thank.  It just seemed right to pause for a moment and ponder about the battle that had been fought there and the many that had died. 

Thinking about it later, I realized that as followers of Jesus, in a real sense, we all walk on blood-soaked ground.  But it’s not our blood that was shed. No, there was only One who could pay the price.  Jesus, in a great rescue mission, came and shed His own blood to secure our salvation and win our freedom from sin and death. It’s a freedom we readily enjoy, but certainly don’t deserve.  Jesus willingly laid down His life – One for all.  Mission accomplished.  

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT