Thought for the Week
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
By David Jebson, originally
published 13th October 2003
In the film, “Saving Private Ryan” many US soldiers get
killed trying to save this one man during World War II. Eventually the
dying Captain of the rescue platoon shouts to Ryan. “Earn this! Earn
what’s been done for you!” Later in old age Ryan visited the graves of
those who died to save him and asked himself this tormenting question,
“Was I good enough? Was I good enough for all that has been done for me?”
Many people, especially those who are getting old,
anxiously ask themselves this tormenting question, “Have I been good
enough to get to heaven?” The bad news is that none of us could even be
good enough to earn a place in heaven. But the good news is that the Lord
Jesus Christ earned the way to heaven for us by dying for our sins on the
cross, thus paying the penalty we deserved.
There may be some who do not feel they have sinned but
the Bible says, “If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us.”
[1 John 1:8]. If we sincerely want to know the truth about our sins
then we should begin to read the Bible, perhaps John’s gospel, and pray
that God would awaken our conscience to the seriousness of our sins. When
this dawns upon us we will gladly forsake them and say with the Apostle
Paul, “The Son of God loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
[Galatians 2:20] To meditate on this amazing act of love until your
heart is melted will bring great assurance that through His sacrifice you
are forgiven and through His resurrection power He will guide you through
life and even through, “The valley of the shadow of death.”
[Psalm 23]
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