I recently finished reading “D-Day” by Stephen Ambrose. Kristi and I had watched Band of Brothers a few years back and my interest in World War II was further stoked by conversations this past year with my Grandfather who served in the Navy during the War. A short blog post can in no way do justice to the sacrifice and bravery of our armed forces, but I wanted to share 3 lessons that I think the Church can learn from D-Day.
1. Courage: The courage of these men against the defenses of the Atlantic Wall is just amazing. The simple fact that the airborne troops would jump from their planes into a storm of artillery and tracers not knowing whether or not they would arrive on the ground dead or alive is enough to give me chills. How many times have I wimped out in my relationship with Jesus? How many times have the words of God’s love stuck in my throat because I was scared of offending someone or too lazy to say it? God, give me courage!
2. Working Together: It’s incredible to read just how focused everyone was in the United States in the war effort and how everyone worked together. Whether it was the soldiers on the front line or farmers providing food or workers in defense plants making planes and artillery or volunteers helping roll bandages—everyone labored together sacrificially. This was Jesus’s prayer for the Church: “May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” God, make us one!
3. A Common Cause: Eisenhower said this twenty years after D-Day: “It’s a wonderful thing to remember what those fellows twenty years ago were fighting for and sacrificing for, what they did to preserve our way of life. Not to conquer any territory, not for any ambitions of our own. But to make sure that Hitler could not destroy freedom in the world. I think it’s just overwhelming. To think of the lives that were given for that principle, paying a terrible price on this beach alone [Omaha], on that one day, 2,000 casualties. But they did it so that the world could be free. It just shows what free men will do rather than be slaves.” Oh, that our common cause would be to know Jesus and nothing else! God, help us to know the fellowship of your sufferings!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Time of Restoration
Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor
Growing up, my best friend and I used to get in fights all of the time. We used to play basketball in his driveway and we’d make bets on making half-court shots and then, usually, if one of us made the shot the other one would refuse to pay up. (I remember one time offering a trade for our younger sisters.) Inevitably, we’d end up rolling around on the ground trying to gouge each other’s eyeballs out. Thinking back on it—it was kind of interesting that our parents were never to be found during those times!
We’d get into fights playing tackle football. We’d get into fights playing board games. I can remember one time fighting over who was the best character in G.I. Joe—-Duke or Snake Eyes.
But let’s be honest—one of the big differences between boys and girls is that boys have this ability to fight one minute and then be best friends again. It doesn’t matter. We don’t carry grudges. My friend and I—-one of us would go home mad—-and our Mom/Dad would tell us that we needed to make things right. 30 minutes later we’d call each other up and go off down the train tracks with our sling shots shooting rocks at trees. Our relationship was made right again—-it was restored.
In the Book of Hebrews the Bible talks about how when Jesus died on the cross and sacrificed himself he brought about a time of restoration. The word that’s translated “restoration” means “to make straight”, “to correct”, or “to make right.” In other words, because Jesus died on the cross our relationship with God can be made right. It can be restored.
Because of sin in our lives our relationship with God was broken, but because of Jesus’s death on the cross that relationship can be fixed. He’s the one who has made things right; who has straightened things out. I know we can all identify with having relationships in our lives that need to be restored or that have been restored in the past. But what about the biggest, most important relationship of all—-your relationship with God? Has Jesus made things right between you and God? Have you trusted in Him as your Savior?
Children/Communications Pastor
Growing up, my best friend and I used to get in fights all of the time. We used to play basketball in his driveway and we’d make bets on making half-court shots and then, usually, if one of us made the shot the other one would refuse to pay up. (I remember one time offering a trade for our younger sisters.) Inevitably, we’d end up rolling around on the ground trying to gouge each other’s eyeballs out. Thinking back on it—it was kind of interesting that our parents were never to be found during those times!
We’d get into fights playing tackle football. We’d get into fights playing board games. I can remember one time fighting over who was the best character in G.I. Joe—-Duke or Snake Eyes.
But let’s be honest—one of the big differences between boys and girls is that boys have this ability to fight one minute and then be best friends again. It doesn’t matter. We don’t carry grudges. My friend and I—-one of us would go home mad—-and our Mom/Dad would tell us that we needed to make things right. 30 minutes later we’d call each other up and go off down the train tracks with our sling shots shooting rocks at trees. Our relationship was made right again—-it was restored.
In the Book of Hebrews the Bible talks about how when Jesus died on the cross and sacrificed himself he brought about a time of restoration. The word that’s translated “restoration” means “to make straight”, “to correct”, or “to make right.” In other words, because Jesus died on the cross our relationship with God can be made right. It can be restored.
Because of sin in our lives our relationship with God was broken, but because of Jesus’s death on the cross that relationship can be fixed. He’s the one who has made things right; who has straightened things out. I know we can all identify with having relationships in our lives that need to be restored or that have been restored in the past. But what about the biggest, most important relationship of all—-your relationship with God? Has Jesus made things right between you and God? Have you trusted in Him as your Savior?
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