Weeping Patriot

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be n o more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”                                  Revelation 21:1-4 (NI

I am a weeping patriot.  I love to see our flag flying in the breeze at the ball park.  I can get a lump in my throat during the National Anthem…no matter how bad the singer!  I do not apologize for these emotions.  I don’t want to forget the cost of freedom.  I don’t want to forget to thank our Father that He has inspired young men and women to stand ready to defend His great love for us through this country called America.

Too much is said today about the horrors of war and the conclusion is drawn that we should avoid war at almost any cost.  As a Christian I look at God’s word and it says that:

1) This world is satan’s domain.  I am the alien here.  The evil one has been given this world as his playground until Jesus comes back in the Final Victory.

2) War has been going on since Cain killed Abel; Ishmael split from Isaac, and Jesus opened up His saving grace for Gentiles as well as Jews.  Lines have been drawn in the sand and we need to make a decision where we stand and with Whom.

3) Peace will come with the New Jerusalem and is found, now, only by the power of God’s Spirit inside of ourselves.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary they have divine powers to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.                                                                  2 Corinthians 10:3-5  (NIV)

Jesus is coming back and until then I am in His boot camp to be trained and prepared for the battles ahead.  I want to be found ready when He comes.  I don’t want to find the trail too tiring or too confusing.  I am reading my service manual, cover to cover, I am going to every ‘pep rally’ and I am going to listen to my coaches.

I am also going to be an Encourager.  There were many, many military personnel at the baseball games I attended this weekend.  I made it part of my day to shake hands with as many as I could, look them in the eye, and thank them for what they are doing.  Some were older and had rough hands.  They seemed surprised by my gesture.  Guess I need to do the handshake and “thank you” more often!  Some were soooooo young!!!  They seemed a bit shy and embarrassed by my handshake and “thank you”.  Maybe they thought since they haven’t seen combat…yet….that they didn’t deserve my thanks.  I would have told them that they have made a commitment and that time will catch them soon enough!

Even though this is the day after Memorial Day – do not let a day go by to obediently encourage and lift up members of Christ’s Body and encourage one another.  Do not let a day go by to obediently encourage and lift up members of our Armed Forces AND their families.  Encouragement may be THE gift most needed inside and outside Christ’s Church in these End Times.