This is the time of year when we remember those who have given their lives for the freedom we enjoy and take for granted, here in Canada/North America. If they hadn’t fought and won, where might our country be today?

Dying for a cause demonstrates a level of loyalty that is difficult to come by in the “discard” society we find ourselves a part of in the 21stcentury.  If our clothes wear out we don’t patch them, we discard them and buy again. When our vehicles get old, we trade them in for newer ones. If our relationships get tough the pressure is on to discard them and live for ourselves or find a “better” partner.  But…loyalty fights for the betterment of others.  Loyalty will die to bring you freedom, happiness, security….Loyalty will sacrifice itself.

There are many amazing examples of loyalty and self-sacrifice, but Jesus is the ultimate Demonstration.  We often think of how much He gave up to become human in order to be able to pay the death-price for our sins.  He couldn’t die, as God, so He became human. What loyalty!

Not just Jesus, but all of heaven having to watch Him be rejected by those who claimed to know Him best and be His special people. They all stood by and watched it happen without interfering. I know it had to be incredibly painful to watch, and how their hearts must have longed to help, defend, heal…but they didn’t. Their loyalty to us, and the plan to save us, is incredible.

Then the Father, withdrawing His presence from Jesus when everything in Him wanted to pluck Him from the hands of His abusers, or at least stop their abuse.  He chose to place His loyalty on our side, instead of Jesus’.

Think of the three days Jesus was in the tomb.  During His life He had been in constant communion with heaven, but now His voice was silenced. How it was missed – must have seemed like eternity until He was raised.

Heaven is loyal to us, without fault. The Holy Spirit has been sent, faithfully to us, and continues the legacy of loyalty – leading, influencing, wooing us to believe that the commitment of heaven to us…is true. We must believe it.

I’m praying for you!

By Erna McCann

Erna McCann
Latest posts by Erna McCann