Liberation Day

A month ago I wrote about the wartime German occupation of my native Channel Islands. Today is celebrated there as a public holiday. It is the anniversary of Liberation – 9 May 1945, the day after VE (Victory in Europe) Day. I found myself thinking about what liberation meant for my fellow Channel Islanders (at least, those who were alive at the time), and what it means for Christians.

It is hard for those of us who weren’t there to enter into the spirit of that amazing day. Islanders and occupiers alike gradually came to realise that the last days of the Second World War were at hand. The occupiers made themselves scarce. The islanders found flags and decorations from somewhere that would allow them to put on at least some sort of celebration and welcome for their liberators. There was a day’s delay while the Nazi authorities grandstanded. Then finally the time came, the troops and transports landed, and joy was unbounded. Those islanders who still had wireless sets listened to speeches and announcements which brought it home to them that it was all true and not a dream. A few days later the Nazi troops who had once manned the concrete bunkers and strutted around the islands were herded onto transport ships, with a few spectators to wish them good riddance.

Then the realisation of the road ahead set in. Those who had perhaps been too friendly to the invaders had much to fear. And the islands did not become well-stocked again overnight. Even when I was born, eight years later, some items were still on ration. As on the mainland, austerity would be the watchword for many years to come. Island life had to be remade from the top down. Coming to terms with a difficult legacy was something that had to be worked at. The military stayed around for quite a while as a reassuring presence, giving assistance where needed. And gradually normality and even prosperity returned to the islands.

Liberation for Christians is freedom from occupation by sin. As the liberation of the Channel Islands depended on troops from over the water, so that of the sinner can only come from outside forces. Ephesians 2:4-9 includes these words:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus ... And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (ESV)

Sin is an old, dead, unsavoury smog that weighs heavily on us, oppresses us, clings to us. Whoever accepts the lordship of Jesus Christ lets in a wonderful liberating army that banishes the murk and gives freedom to look ahead and breathe. The joy of someone who has found that out for him- or herself is wonderful to behold. But now there is a life to be remade – and our spiritual liberator can help there too. Look down at the tenth verse of Ephesians 2:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The freedom we have won is not the freedom of anarchy. Having been liberated, it is incumbent on us to live the rest of our lives to the glory of God. What is so breathtaking is that the God who provides a Saviour also prepares in advance for us good works that we can do to glorify Him and thank Him!

If you’ve met your Liberator, may God bless you in your wonderful new adventure. May you have the joy and satisfaction of finding the work He has freed you to carry out.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray -

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

my chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 

                                            - Charles Wesley, 1707-88