Preface: The following was first posted in June of 2023:
I don't know how you are on this but I don't think about what to say before a mealtime prayer. This last week the first thing out of my mouth has been something like this...."Lord....this world attempts to drag us into its entertainments every day....even every hour of every day. The temptation to be lulled into a sleepiness to Thee and to things eternal is at times overwhelming. Keep us vigilant Lord....increase our faith....give us an understanding of this war for the honor of our King and the souls of men…..give us the strength to fight." What that has to do with the food before me....I don't know....but it's where my mind has been.
"Far, more the treacherous calm I dread
Than tempests hanging over head"
Augustus Toplady
I'm still in the habit of when I see a man with a Vietnam ball cap on....or some other identification as to being a Vietnam veteran....or any veteran really....for there are a lot of young men with Iraq or Afghanistan caps or t-shirts....I try to thank him for his service....but particularly with the Vietnam veteran....I want to say....although I never do....for I do not even know if they are Christian....that there is still a war....not a war of flesh and blood….not some conflagration between America and someone else....but the war that a Christian should be in to one degree or another every day of his or her life.
Please don't just throw these comments off....for I am very serious about this. I know that on the surface it sounds odd....maybe even absurd....but it is scriptural truth. J.C.Ryle was very vehement on this Christian life being a war....and you can access his thoughts....just Google....J. C. Ryle....war....or fight....and I so hope that you do....for his writing is far beyond what I can offer!
If one is a Christian.....a redeemed....born again....name written in the Lamb's Book of Life Christian....then we are in a war. We are soldiers. We never retire. And there are wounds....there are marches....there is discipline....there is personal armor....there is training that we must have....and there are tears....but there are also shouts of heavenly and holy huzzahs....for the victory was secured long ago! We have a literal King....and a literal Captain....who is one and the same.
So I want to say to these veterans....although I've never figured out a way....other than the poor attempt in this post....'thank you for your service....but there is still another war....a greater war!' There have been times in history past...many times probably....when a war ends....and the men go home.....but then another war begins....and the men have to pick up and go once again. That's my message in this post to the Vietnam veteran....or the Iraq or Afghanistan veteran....or even the Korean or World War II veteran....for no one is too old....thank you for your service....but if you are a disciple of Jesus Christ....you have got to put a uniform back on....your service is needed not only for your own benefit....so that you will be found faithful in that day....but to be alongside your brothers and sisters in arms....who are in Christ....and most of all your service is required for the glory and the honor of the Warrior King who called you!
Here are two examples of relatively minor battles.....one offensive and one defensive. In the former....there is someone that you love....maybe a family member....and they either need Christ in salvation....or they need awakened from a stupor. There is no effective way for you to reach them. They regularly attend church....so you do what in effect would be a flanking maneuver....you go around them and pray without ceasing....as Paul would say....for their pastor! 'Wake him up O Lord....that he may awaken those under his care!' In the second example....the defensive battle....it is a Saturday afternoon on a beautiful summer day. Whatever work or errand or exercise you were involved with in the morning....the Lord's cause was not far from your mind. You took a needed rest after lunch....but it was turning into an entire afternoon of idleness. You tell yourself....'No'....you will not let this happen! You will not let an entire afternoon pass without checking in with the Captain of your salvation to see what He would have you do!
Do you think that what I'm writing in the post is....over the top....sloppy emotionalism....or melodramatic? Well those are reasonable and logical charges. I'll let you give your own defense in your position. As for my defense....God created this entire universe out of nothing....and put His creation of man on one planet. Man fell. God knew that would happen. The second person of this trinitarian holiness entered into His own creation....a second Adam who did not fall away....and then was brutally mauled....voluntarily....knowing all this beforehand....(do not forget dear friend that this is God Himself)...His flesh torn apart in a crucifixion....why....to pay a debt that the debtor cannot pay! So you tell me....who is the one who is over the top....the one who says....Lord take me through this life....for I cannot do it....help me praise you every day of this life....for who You are...and for the mercy that you have extended to me....or the one who in effect says....hey....thanks for Calvary and all that stuff....gotta go....tee time coming up....TTYL....by the way....vacation this Sunday to Sunday....so I won't see you for a few weeks.
One last addendum....today....October 15....here's the scene....a college student....male....male and somewhat frail....a bookworm and not a jock....and when he looks at you while you are in a conversation....it's like he's trying to throw you a rope as if you are drowning. He is kidded often....even ridiculed....taken advantage of at times....because when he's not studying he's reading his Bible. It would be so easy to get rid of all the unwanted attention....but he doesn't. He will bring up God's Word as readily as if he were talking about the weather. Now there is a soldier! As a matter of fact I had a guy like that in my barracks in basic training way way back. He's probably never thought of me in the past 55 years....if he is still with us....but I've thought about him often. Soldiers for Christ like that stick in your mind.
Funny thing about that guy in basic. I've told this story before. No one paid any attention to him until the last week of basic training....we were very serious about winning the PT title.... and it was going to be close....and the two mile run on the track was the last thing....turns out this guy could run like the wind! I can still picture that race....he was so far ahead of everyone that in retrospect he looked like Eric Liddell....another soldier for Christ....and he had the calm assurance of a Dietrich Bonhoeffer....another soldier for Christ.
I'm always looking for an excuse to recommend a film....here are two that I've watched in this past week.....
On Wings Of Eagles....with Joseph Fiennes as Liddell....an unofficial sequel to Chariots Of Fire.
And I watched this just a few hours ago....Come Before Winter....a docu/drama on Bonhoeffer.
The former is on Roku....and the latter you can watch for free on your computer!
