Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
Luke 9: 23-25 (ESV)“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…”
Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)
Tomorrow is Veterans Day.
The day we mark and remember by the anniversary date of the Armistice Agreement which ended World War I, entered into at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918.
The day where we will pause to remember, recognize, respect and honor those who have stood in the gap for us—and still do—and for this great Nation across the ages.
And remember the sacrifice they made so that we and others might continue to live in the warm breezes of liberty, justice, and freedom.
I wonder if we remember that.
This great experiment of God, America, was founded upon a firm reliance on God, and upon the sacrificial lives of countless numbers of heroes through the ages.
A Country founded upon the belief that in the commonality of our lives under God, whether in suffering or good fortune, we are called to be a lighthouse for each other and the world, to make sure that no one is in need or alone, and that no one lives in fear or for want of freedom.
Our Veterans understood that when they stepped forward.
I wonder sometimes if we understand.
I wonder if we remember what they did for us. Every bit of the safety, security, and freedoms we enjoy is attributable to the commitment and sacrifice of our Veterans.
Even the freedom to make fools of ourselves.
And even the freedom in some instances which some choose to show disrespect to this great Nation.
I truly wonder if we get it, as I see fewer flags flying in our neighborhoods every day, but in particular on days like we remember tomorrow—Veterans Day.
Yesterday, some of our churches took a moment to recognize the service and sacrifice of our Veterans.
But I don’t understand why all of our churches don’t pause to recognize our Veterans on this national day of recognition.
Can it be indifference? They care, don’t they? Surely, they must understand that churches don’t get “to do what they do as a church” openly, and without fear of repercussion, censoring, or rebuke, if Veterans throughout the history of our great nation hadn’t stepped forward to do what they did, and continue to do to this day.
We can never forget. They paid the price for us.
And on days like tomorrow, Veterans Day, and every day, we need to remember and honor them and the heritage of freedom they stood for and stand for today.
Some of our Veterans never came back, and others came back on stretchers and on crutches, in wheelchairs, and in boxes, while still others were spit upon and ridiculed.
All heroes, forever scarred and crippled, as well as those whose bodies lie beneath row, after row, after row, of white crosses on the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, and in thousands of cemeteries across this country and world,
Heroes who fought, while some died, so that you and I might live and sit here today in freedom. Patriots who fought, died, or were wounded so that you and I might continue to live, laugh, sit, and sleep, and, yes, even pray and worship today and every day, in freedom.
They paid the price for us.
We can never forget.
Veterans Day—a time to remember.
We can never forget.
In His Name–Scott
Stand tall and proudly as you watch this “Veteran’s Day Video” honoring our Veterans.
