Friday; February 22


          One of the most memorable sights in U.S. history is the image of President John Kennedy’s casket being unloaded from Air Force One and transported away from Andrews Air Force Base on November 22, 1963.  While there are many remarkable things about that day, that casket has an interesting story of its own.  The coffin was purchased in Dallas shortly after the death of President Kennedy and had to be altered (or damaged) to be loaded onto the presidential plane.  Due to the circumstances surrounding the death and transportation of the president’s remains the casket was unusable for any formal service, so it was discarded in favor of one more suitable for the occasion.  But, that is not the end of the interesting story.  According to records released decades after Kennedy’s death, a couple of years after the assassination the original casket was loaded onto a government plane, taken miles off of the U. S. coast and dumped into the 9,000 foot deep Atlantic Ocean.  On one hand this sounds a bit odd, but on the other hand it makes good sense.  President Kennedy’s legacy should be what he did in life, not represented by a broken, blood stained box that would have be seen by gawkers or revered by fans.
          Throughout the years the presence of crosses has stirred an interesting debate.  There are some who believe they are offensive because they are iconic reminders of the cruel death Jesus endured while others find a connection to them because they represent the love that Jesus showed to mankind.  It really doesn’t matter to me which side of the argument you profess as long as we all remember that it isn’t the cross that made the difference, it was the Son of God who hung on the cross.  The legacy of Christianity is not in a “t-shaped” wooden tool, it is the Perfect Lamb who loved us enough to die in our stead.  We are drawn to the cross – not for its own beauty – but because on that Sunday morning centuries ago it and the grave were empty!
          Let’s make it a point to join with like-minded believers this weekend and celebrate the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  These events are what really changed the history of the world and the hope of our eternal future.
Think About It!

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