Auschwitz Thanksgiving

This past weekend we visited Krakow, Poland for the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a wonderful city with a lot of history. On Thanksgiving Day, we went to the Auschwitz/Birkenau concentration camps. Ironically enough our tour guide was from Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is hard to comprehend the atrocities that happened at these two camps. It truly reveals the depths of our fallen nature. After spending the day there, I began reflecting on what I learned and how that relates to thankfulness. We often talk about Hitler and are stunned at the things one human can be capable of. It does however beg the question of how could we as a people be capable of crucifying the Son of God? I am truly saddened at what happened to the Jewish people, Roma and so many more during WWII, but does my sorrow somehow make me a better person? I think the answer is no. I am still a sinner who struggles every day against the same flesh Hitler gave in to. I still grieve the heart of God. There is however one major difference. I am saved by grace. While I consider the things that happen as a result of sin, I am thankful for being set free from the power that evil has over me. The entrance to the gate at Auschwitz says "work makes you free" in German. How wrong that is. It was not an easy thing to walk where so many died and to learn about the unimaginable pain of others, but it has once again reminded me of all I have to be thankful for.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2 Corinthians 3:17