By David Harsh, Guest Writer
On this 4th of July, I’m reminded of the many who have fought for our nation’s freedoms, including those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
What about those who remain unknown?
My thoughts first go back to when I was a 12-year-old, visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, and the respect for the fallen that has been offered by the way they are entombed and guarded. But I must confess that the clearest picture in my mind is from a cemetery in the Champagne wine region of rural France that I “just happened upon” several years ago while I was attending a guitar seminar.
I was out running early one morning, all by myself. And for some reason, I felt compelled to follow a sign that I discovered inside one of the towns that led to an American Military Cemetery and Memorial.
As I came to the place the sign had directed me to, I found a wide gate that opened up to a neatly kept cemetery of over 2200 American graves. The exact number, as I later found out, was 2,289. This cemetery commemorates the World War I battle of Belleau Wood.
Directly in the center of the cemetery was a huge monument, and on either side, there were white crosses that just stretched across the horizon. It occurred to me, as I stood there in the beautiful, quiet morning, all alone in the silence, that this tranquil place was, at one time, a smoky, bloody mess of a war. And I realized that these men who had been laid to rest a century ago were probably buried only in walking distance from where they had finally fallen.
I was in awe of the respect that they were given, so many thousands of miles away from their homeland. So, I began to walk among the graves, to read the inscriptions and the names of the soldiers. And then, almost inevitably, I found the “unknown” graves. Perfectly etched into their marble crosses was an inscription I will never forget. It said: “Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier, Known but to God.” I later discovered that there were 250 crosses that bore this inscription. It was there, in that cemetery, in rural France, in a place that had once been a battlefield, that a seed was planted in my heart.
I returned to America, and in the fall, on Veteran’s Day, as I thought about the men and women who have served our country, and our Heavenly Father, who knows each one of us better than we know ourselves, those white crosses were very clear in my mind, so I wrote a song to capture my thoughts.
The final chorus of the song goes like this:
“I know there’s a Father somewhere
And He’s watching all from somewhere
Knowing we will soon come home;
He knows all our hopes and dreams
He loves us more than anything
And we do not remain unknown.
We will not remain unknown
No one will remain unknown.”
What a great comfort to know that each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that although some of us will pass away and not be remembered by those who walk this earth, we are not forgotten! Our Heavenly Father knows each one of us.
Luke 12:7 reminds us, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” This is, of course, to show us that the tiniest detail is not missed or forgotten by the Lord of the universe.
So, as we consider the great sacrifice of those who have fought, and many who have fallen in battle protecting the freedoms of our great nation, let us also remember that the Lord watches over each one of us.
Freedom and life are gifts. May we treasure them, but also the One who gives them. And may we rejoice in being known by Him!
Note:
David Harsh is a full-time independent Christian artist from Marysville, WA. He is passionate about bringing glory to God through music, and helping others do the same. Learn more about David’s ministry at www.DavidHarsh.com and his unique online guitar experience at www.GuitarSuccess4U.com.
