‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)On 6 June 1944 the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II took place. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest combined naval, air and land operation in history. The invasion established a crucial second front in the liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation, ultimately leading to victory in 1945.
This week marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day with commemorative events in England and France, including the Queen, President Trump, and Theresa May, alongside 300 D-Day veterans attending a ceremony in Portsmouth.
Around 2000 years ago another significant event took place. For the Christian, Christ’s birth was D-Day. It was the decisive invasion of ‘the war’ against sin and death, guaranteeing the enemy’s eventual defeat. Christ invaded, but not with huge armies; rather, in a way that confounded and perplexed the wisdom of humanity, culminating in his self-sacrificing death which brought humanity victory.
As a Christian there are no greater events worth commemorating than the birth and death of Jesus Christ, which have secured our liberation from evil oppression, as we wait for our victory to be consummated when Christ returns at his second coming.
This week as we think about the freedom that D-Day brought, why not give some thought to a greater freedom achieved by Jesus? You won’t be disappointed.
Have a good week, dwelling on our freedom in Christ,
Pastor Barry
