On the morning of 13th June 1942 , the SS Juneau was torpedoed in the Pacific and sunk. On board were the five Sullivan Brothers who perished together. This tragedy led to the US War Dept creation of the sole surviving policy or ‘ only son ‘ policy to avoid one families ‘ complete loss of their sons.
This policy led to the procured safety of Frederick Fritz Niland in 1944 during World War 2 when it was found that his three brothers had been killed in action. Steven Spielberg told the story in his 1998 movie ‘ Saving Private Ryan ‘. It is an exceptional movie accompanied by the music , the moving music of John Williams.
To lose a son in any situation is an event beyond description. Abraham was asked By God to sacrifice his son Issac and only at the last minute was that death sacrifice avoided. As an archetype of a later event God sacrificed His only son Jesus by death on a cross, a death offered to save us and pay the ultimate price of life. Jesus died for you and me. The ‘ only son policy ‘ was on that day 2000 years ago abandoned there was no saving but the job was done in fulfilment of prophecy thousands of years previously.
Recently I met a Father who lost his son through a road traffic accident, not his only son but 10 years on the pain still burdens and the contributory fact that essential street lights were switched by a cost saving Council is a constant source of pettiness leading to such devastation.
Today someone will lose their son and in that event tragedy will reign. There are sons baby sons in hospitals now whose lives are at risk and I have witnessed first hand the deaths of the young sons in my grave digging youth. Private Ryan was saved but Jesus died so that we may be saved and His father allowed Him to pay the ultimate price. We can dismiss that fact lightly in our everyday walk or we can take a moment to consider the fact that someone died so that we may live.
There are very few that will give their lives for me and you but I know one that did and He is someone worth getting to know for through His death you will live. Try it.
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