The Quad at ETBU
There are three flags in the Quad at ETBU. These flags wave at the highest point on our campus as symbols of faith, courage, and freedom. These are three flags that represent our state, our nation, and our faith – three points of hallowed pride.
On the right side is the Texas Flag – a standard that represents the resolve of the men and women who lived and died longing for freedom. And through courageous deeds, last stands, thunderous battles, and cries like “Come and Take It,” and “Remember the Alamo,” Texans became free.
On the left side is the Christian Flag – a symbol of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As Soldiers of the Cross, we realize the importance of Christ’s presence in our lives and the Christian Flag in our Quad serves as a daily reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus our Savior, and of those who came behind that gave their lives for the cause of Christ, knowing deep within their and our hearts alike, that “whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” (John 8:36)
And in the center proudly waves the Flag of the United States of America – a banner that is a source of honor and pride to people across this nation. From dawn’s early light to the stormy beaches of Normandy, from the thick jungles of Asia to the sandy landscape of the Middle East, the US Flag has always been more than a strip of cloth; it has been a symbol of freedom and a beacon of justice all over the world. And whether it flies at The US Capitol or the front line, our Quad, or draped across the casket of a fallen hero, it represents who we are, why we became a nation, and what we want to bring to the four corners of the earth: freedom.
It’s at this flag that I pause for a moment. We are proud of many things at our University. So many men and women have in the past, and still today, lead lives that are honorable, noble, and accomplish great things for our school, our city, our state, our nation, our world, and for the cause of Christ. Yet let us not forget the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we experience today.
At ETBU, we, campus-wide, wake up in the morning under a blanket knit by the courage and sacrifice of our military and leaders, work and learn in environments free of danger or harm, and worship in a land that guarantees our right to call on the name of Jesus Christ. These liberties weren’t born by happenstance, but by the ink of a pen, and sadly, but with utmost respect, the end of a musket.
Many within our Tiger Family have served, and are still serving all over the world to provide security, protection, and a safeguard of the freedoms that we enjoy. Furthermore, they struggle against evil and injustices to bring freedom to oppressed peoples; as Isaiah 61 says, to proclaim freedom to those who are captive. It is truly a noble task.
So to these men and women who serve our nation in the Armed Forces, especially those who are a part of our Tiger Family, we are monumentally grateful, profoundly humbled, and extraordinarily proud of you. Thank you for your service and dedication to your nation. You not only sacrifice so much for your nation, you honor us at ETBU and this great nation by your dedication and willingness to serve.
As you experience this 4th of July with your family and friends, let’s not forget to honor and say a prayer for those men and women in harm’s way who stand as sentinels on the walls to provide the very freedoms we enjoy today. Perhaps you are friends with a soldier on Facebook or know a sailor in your community. Maybe you are familiar with an airman, a marine, a reservist, or a member of our Coast Guard. Be sure to thank them this 4th for their service to our nation, to the world, and to Christ.
May God bless ETBU, Texas our Texas, and may God Bless America!
GO RED, WHITE, and GO BLUE!
100 years ago, the very spot where I sit and type this was simply a hill. No Scarborough. No Marshall Hall. Not even the College of Marshall, which would become East Texas Baptist College, then East Texas Baptist University.
