Veteran's Day 2013

      Veteran's Day. A day we stop to remember those who have served in our nation's military services in defense of our freedoms. We owe an unpayable debt to those who were willing to go wherever they were sent, to do whatever they were asked to do, in many cases giving their life.

      Without taking anything away from the veterans to whom we owe so much, I want us to turn our attention to some veterans we don't usually think of in this context.

There is a continual war going on between God and Satan. The whole world is enlisted on one side or the other. We need to remember the veterans of this war who have “fought the good fight of faith” while led by the “Captain of our salvation”, Jesus Christ, the ultimate martyr in laying down His life for our salvation.  Many have paid the ultimate price in this war so that we can know the joy of salvation. 

      We think of the Apostles. In following Jesus they also gave their lives in loyalty to Christ, leaving an example of faithfulness for us to follow. In John 17:20 Jesus prayed for His disciples, but also for those of us who never saw Jesus in person but believe because of their words and lives of faithfulness. As we believe, so Jesus' prayer is answered.  But these veterans began with Abel back in the beginning, who was killed “because his deeds were righteous.”

      And so it has been down through the centuries. The freedoms we enjoy to worship God as we believe, is a result of many who fought and gave their lives in an effort to worship the True God. The Huguenots of France, the English Puritans, the Protestants of Holland and Spain. John Knox in Scotland, Martin Luther in Germany, Huss and Jerome in the city of Prague. The Waldensees in the Alps, and so many others whose names are known only to God right now.

      We are indebted for our Bibles to those who were willing to give their lives to preserve copies when the devil, through a corrupt church, sought to destroy all the copies they could find. Again there were people, many times including children, who gave their lives to preserve the Word of God which reveals His will so we could have the abundance of spiritual light we enjoy today.

      These are the veterans we need to keep in our memories. Veterans of the Lord's army. Veterans to whom we owe our religious knowledge and freedoms. While we honor the veterans of our USA, let's also lift our eyes higher and remember “those who died in faith, not having received the promise”.  May we prove worthy of their example, and look forward to fellowshiping with them in “that city whose Builder and Maker is God”.