The historic sites we visited left me awe-struck.
But there was one place we couldn't visit because it isn't open to the public--the CIA Headquarters Building.
I know that may sound weird. But I'll explain. You know I enjoy World War II history. Well, in WWII, President Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) because the U.S. did not have a unified intelligence-gathering agency.
After World War II, the OSS was disbanded. But the need for intelligence gathering was soon apparent after a few years. That's when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was formed.
I'd love to visit CIA Headquarters to see three things:
First, the memorial to the OSS and the statue of Major General William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan. Donovan was the head of the OSS during WWII.
Second, the CIA Memorial Wall and the Book of Honor. Carved into the CIA Memorial Wall are 103 stars which symbolize the 103 CIA officers who gave their lives in service to our country. The Book of Honor lists the names of 79 officers who died. The names of the 39 others remain secret, even after their deaths. They are remembered in the book with a simple star.
Third, the motto of the CIA carved in stone in the Original Headquarters Building. The motto of the CIA is "And Ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Free". If that sounds familiar, it's because the CIA's motto just happens to be John 8:32.
So what does this have to do with our lesson on Sunday?
Well, do you remember the dust-up a few years back about the giant Ten Commandments monument placed in Alabama's Capital Building?
It was the talk of the country for a while. It was debated and discussed ad nauseum. In the end, a compromise was reached.
How can ten rules cause so much divisiveness?
On Sunday, we'll look at the full text of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20. So you know what to expect, here it is...
"And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You
shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven
above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord
your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the
parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord
your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or
daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any
foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet
your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his
male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to
your neighbor.”
So come join us Sunday morning at 9:50 a.m. as we take a closer look at "The Law".
And if you want some extra credit, bring in a 3-page essay comparing and contrasting the Ten Commandments to Matthew 22:37-40.
Finish Friday strong. Enjoy Saturday with your family. See you Sunday!
Loyally yours,
Darren Bayne
"Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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