We are in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) this weekend. We enjoyed a wonderful Vietnamese meal tonight in a quaint old house that two years ago was turned into an excellent restaurant. We ate with a good friend who was born here, grew up in the USA and with his wife has lived here for the past four years. Then we watched fireworks light up the sky over the Saigon river as we walked back to our hotel.
Vietnam has fought many wars. At least three are celebrated with a special day. Today one Independence Day to celebrate their independence achieved in 1945 from Japan that occupied the country during World War II. There is also special commemoration and celebration holiday during the year for the hard won independence from France in 1954. And then the Reunification of the country in 1975 is also widely celebrated.
Independence. Tonight I wonder if we believers actually could say we prefer to celebrate Dependence Day. That was the day when we came to the realization that living apart from God was sinful, foolish and very dangerous. It was the day we recognized that we are dependent upon God our Creator for our life, even if we did ignore and deny it. And if ever we were to be saved, put right, made whole we had to declare our Dependence. On our personal "Dependence Day" we confessed our need of God's help. We needed the forgiveness and righteousness only found in Jesus Christ and His death for us.
So every day, but especially on Sundays, we celebrate our Dependence Day. And since many in different Christian traditions share Communion on the first Sunday of each month, perhaps today for you, this has been your special day of the month to declare your Dependence! Freed from the control of sin and eternal death. Liberated to live in Dependence on the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. Maybe we should light fireworks every Communion Sunday!
Vietnam has fought many wars. At least three are celebrated with a special day. Today one Independence Day to celebrate their independence achieved in 1945 from Japan that occupied the country during World War II. There is also special commemoration and celebration holiday during the year for the hard won independence from France in 1954. And then the Reunification of the country in 1975 is also widely celebrated.
Independence. Tonight I wonder if we believers actually could say we prefer to celebrate Dependence Day. That was the day when we came to the realization that living apart from God was sinful, foolish and very dangerous. It was the day we recognized that we are dependent upon God our Creator for our life, even if we did ignore and deny it. And if ever we were to be saved, put right, made whole we had to declare our Dependence. On our personal "Dependence Day" we confessed our need of God's help. We needed the forgiveness and righteousness only found in Jesus Christ and His death for us.
So every day, but especially on Sundays, we celebrate our Dependence Day. And since many in different Christian traditions share Communion on the first Sunday of each month, perhaps today for you, this has been your special day of the month to declare your Dependence! Freed from the control of sin and eternal death. Liberated to live in Dependence on the One who loves us and gave Himself for us. Maybe we should light fireworks every Communion Sunday!
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