Veterans Day - a day to say, 'thank you.'

Tomorrow, November 11, our country will honor it's Veteran's. Officially, this is both a state and national holiday and it is posted as such by the words, "Veterans Day" (that's right, no apostrophe as the attributive, rather than the possessive, case is set as the official spelling).

Now I know that many today have little idea what this day is for, and, though this in itself is sad, it is, at the least, my intention to give in this blog some meaning and, prayerfully, merit for this day. To do so, let me touch on two things to help -

1. The origin and purpose of the day

2. What we each can and should do, both as citizens and Christians, to give the day the full dignity it deserves.

ORIGIN AND PURPOSE

A quick search from Wikipedia reminds us that U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. Also, that the United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting then President, Calvin Coolidge, issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. On May 13, 1938, an act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) was approved making the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Al King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I.The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11, 1953, to honor veterans. With the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954

Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day since.

WHAT MIGHT WE DO TO GIVE THE DAY THE DIGNITY & SIGNIFICANCE IT DESERVES:

1. As citizens, we can say "thank you." Our country owes a great debt of gratitude to those who have served this country, and, indeed, the world, in seeking after and preserving peace. Whatever anyone else may think of us, history will tell the true story: that brave men and women from this country have long served the world, giving the ultimate sacrifice, often, of their very lives, in its quest and its preservation of peace. Even today, these real heroes make life as we enjoy it possible for us. If you don’t believe this, then just talk to persons in any kind of intelligence or national security and they will set you straight. This world, and each of us in particular, owes them our thanks.

2. As Christians, we can pray. Wilson was a seeker of peace. His efforts in support of the League of Nations, which are written in our history books, speak plainly of his aspirations and strong desire. Was he naive? Many thought so. Was he wrong in his desire? Absolutely not! Scripture tells us that as Christians we are to seek peace, live in peace, pray for it, and do what we can to preserve it. President Wilson took this on.

So tomorrow is not just another day. It is a day that our country does well to observe. Our children should know of it, as should we, and we should teach them by our own example. Take time as a family tomorrow to seek out a veteran and say to them, 'thanks.' Maybe that veteran is a grandpa, an uncle or an aunt. Maybe he or she is a cousin or a friend. Whoever they are - just do it.

Secondly, take time with your family to pray for our troops - those at home and abroad. Pray for their safety, their courage and their families. Make Veterans Day a day that we really do what we ought to do - say thanks to those who’ve served, both us, our world and the causes of freedom and peace. Something President Wilson hoped for. Something, admittedly, we know will only be found ultimately in Christ. But… something we all should and must aspire for as long as God gives us breath.

Pastor Sam

After Ft Hood, "Why?" - The character of God

A challenge in my role as a pastor is the daily question from those hurting of 'why?' 'Why did God do this?' 'Why did God do this to me?' Or, after yesterday, 'what have we done that would cause God to allow this to happen to us?'

Of course, the questions themselves reveal how most of us view or think of God. We think of Him as in charge - as Sovereign - and though answers to any questions concerning Him are to be found in His Word, I must admit that, even there, they are not always so easily gleaned. The same Bible which reads, "God makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust" (Matt. 5:45) also reads, "He visits the sins of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation" (Ex. 34:6-7, Deut. 5: 8-10, also Num. 14:18), which begs my title, 'the character of God.' For, by understanding this - God's character, we will journey toward carrying on - even in troubled times.

The whole of scripture teaches us that here are two traits to know of God that can help us cope. The first is God is love and the second, God is just. Today I want to deal with the first - the love of God. In the days ahead we will look at the second - the justice of God. So first... His love.

In his blog of Sept, 1, 2006, Dr. Ben Witherington, professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary writes:

The chaplain ran to help the man lying on the beach of a South Pacific island, who had been hit by a shell. The young man was dying, and as the chaplain administered the morphine to him, the young man looked into the chaplain's eyes and asked "Surely you must know--- what is God like?" The chaplain, my former college Bible Professor, Bernard Boyd said-- "God is suffering love, he is just like the Jesus who died for you. And at this very moment he is with you in this pain for he said-- "inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me." (for more on this see the poem by Geoffrey-Studdert Kennedy "The Sorrow of God").

Jesus once said, 'if you've seen me, you have seen the Father for I and the Father are one" and this statement is one I have hung my life, ministry and thoughts of God upon. The Bible says that "God's way's are past our finding out,' but then Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." If there is a picture of God, then it is Christ. If there is an inkling, this side of Glory, that enables us to know what God is like, then it is in knowing and following His Son, Jesus. So that when we think of the love of God, we think of it's divine/human expression, God the Son, dying on the cross and saying, 'Father forgive them.' So, my friends, God is love.

I may not know, from this or heaven's side of eternity, all there is to know about God, but I can tell you this - God is love. I know so because I know His Son. God is not a God of murder, chaos, violence or revenge. God is a God of love. What happened at Ft Hood was not from God or by His hand. That evil was because of man's sin - expressed, on this day in an individual or ideological soul, be it intentional or from a crazed maniac out of his mind. Likewise, it is not our role, now or ever, to perpetrate similar or same actions upon others under the pretense of acting out 'God's plan' - for this cannot be so - God is love. We must resist reducing God, both in mind and action, to anything like this. Why? Because we have as our highest example our Savior - God Himself - Jesus Christ His Son.

Till next time, then -

Pastor Sam