I suppose, for some, the Falkland Islands would be largely unknown. That they are a British territory thousands of miles away in the South Atlantic may be surprising to some but many British soldiers lost their lives on those tiny islands 30 years ago. Perhaps the more recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have overshadowed any memories of that overthrow of Argentinean invaders. However, one thing is shared between that Falkland Island war and that being waged in Afghanistan and Iraq. People asked then, as they ask now, ‘why should British soldiers die to protect something so far away and so detached from life in the UK?’
This anniversary reminded me of One who left heaven to come to earth to give His life. The Lord Jesus Christ came to this sin-stained planet, was scorned, ridiculed, and ill-treated, before dying a criminal’s death upon a Roman cross. He had done nothing wrong. He was falsely accused. He was wrongly tried, abusing every decent court process. He was brutally killed. What for? What relevance has that got for life in 2012?
Britain went to war against Argentina in order to rescue those who had been taken over by invading forces. British soldiers fought, and, in some cases, gave their lives to bring freedom to the Falkland Islanders. In a similar way, God’s Son came to earth to lay down His life. He laid down that life, gave it, to deliver us from the “invading force” of sin. We were captives to sin—in its grip and unable to release ourselves from its hold. Christ’s death upon that Roman cross was the price necessary to deliver us from sin’s power and from sin’s penalty. By faith in Christ and His finished work at Calvary’s cross we can be forgiven and made fit for heaven. That is a sacrifice that we should never forget. Do we believe it, have we accepted Christ?
