Today we are called to remember the fallen heroes who on the battle fields across the world have risked all they had so that we can enjoy our freedom today. They said goodbye to mum's and dad's, they said goodbye to their son's and daughters, they said goodbye to to lovers and friends. They said hello to death. I owe them so much. I am thankful and I remember.
What does it all mean to me as a follower of Jesus? How do I remember as one who follows the Prince of Peace? John Piper said this,
"When soldiers can to John the Baptist and asked "What shall we do" - meaning. "How shall we respond to your call to repent?" John answered "Don't make extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay." (Luke 3:14)
From this we learn that repentance did not demand ceasing to be a soldier. The tensions between being a follower of Jesus as a soldier are essentially the same as the tensions of being a follower of Jesus in all other authority structures of society that God ordains for the stability of the world (like business, education, government and family).
There have been agonizing choices the veterans have had to make. May they (and we all) turn to the cross of Jesus for the final resolution of what we have done. I am thankful they embraced the risk."
As a soldier of Jesus, I'm also thankful for their risk, and I will remember them in the shadow of the cross.
2 comments:
Remembrance time is becoming more and more of a cult. It is a way for heathens to have a pseudo religious encounter and to feel that they are doing the right thing. Surely it is time to forget.
Quite fitting that my post was 1100 on the 11th of Nov. Coincidence - or the work of the great god Poppy.
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