The American Revolution lasted from 1775 to September of 1781 when Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in Yorktown, Virginia. It officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. What began as an actual civil war between those who were still loyal to King George III and those who wanted their own government. To be truthful, it included a fight over land which didn’t really belong to any of them.

Today, we’re coming off of a long weekend of celebration of 250 years of America’s birth. As with most history, there were the heroes and the villains. The land grabbers – those seeking wealth at all costs – the blood shed by those willing to fight for their freedom – the good, the bad and the ugly.

I’ve been binging on Ken Burns version of the American Revolution for the past few days. The back stories of those who lived at that time are not only interesting but show the cost and the losses of war. There were the indigenous people who had foraged the land for many years before it was discovered by others. There were those who invaded that land in search of a fresh start in a new country. There were those who ruled over them. There were the slaves from Africa who were transported like animals to serve those who paid for them. Each of them played an important role in the script that played out through those long eight years.

The cost of war is impossible to measure. Lives are shattered, families divided, citizens blown to bits and towns in need of restoration. Out of the ashes, we can see the mistakes. We can look back at history and hopefully do things differently in the future. We cannot change it, but we can certainly learn from it.

There are and will be wars and rumors of wars for all time. The biggest battle we will face as human beings is the one between good and evil. Over 2000 years ago, a man of 33 years shed His precious blood for the love of all people. He overcame death and returned to His heavenly home. Because of this, we will inherit eternal life. Jesus has already won the victory. He is our Champion. Because of that, we place our faith in His unconditional love.

THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR ANOTHER DAY.