Strength for your journey

Meditation for your Inspiration and Elevation

Luke 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward mankind.” Isaiah 2:4 4He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 

                         A Veterans Day offer from Jesus

Since we observe Veterans Day this weekend, a little over two weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate to link thoughts of Thanksgiving to Veterans Day. We Americans have much to be thankful for in every aspect of our lives, including the military aspect.

          I am thankful for the men and women who daily place their lives on the line to protect our country, and our way of life. I am thankful that we have one of the strongest militaries on the planet and the most accomplished fighting force in the history of Western Civilization. But even more than that, I am thankful that this country claims to have bought into the ideas and ideals of Jesus and are committed to using our military and other resources to advance peace in the world, and to influence the world with the Word rather than to conquer it with weapons. 

          Military superiority is great, but it is temporary; it has changed hands many times over the centuries, and unless we find lasting peace, it will continue to change hands until it finally winds up in the hands of those who will use it to end life on earth as we know it.

 It is time for us to pursue peace more urgently than ever before. Today’s technology has moved us beyond the point where we can continue settling our disputes with wars; the continued existence of human life on the planet rests with humankind finding a path to lasting peace.

 Every generation of Americans since the Civil War has lived with the threat of war looming in their future, and the memories of a war simmering in their recent past. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a generation of Americans that didn’t have to send their sons and daughters off to battle? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a graduating class of young people that didn’t have empty spaces left by those who could not be there because of war? Wouldn’t it be wonderful for the nations on the earth to come to a place of civility that the words of the Prophet Isaiah would ring clear: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

 In one of the scriptures that serve as the background for this mediation, the angel announces the birth of Jesus and declares that His presence among us paves the path for peace on earth. The Prince of Peace offers us a way to lasting peace. 

  As we remember and honor our Veterans, it would be well for us to give serious thought to Jesus’ offer of peace. There is no group among us who would like to see peace more than Veterans. Those who have endured the scars of war know better than others, the hell of war. And they know that war is ungodly, and unbecoming of a people who claim to know God and want to live lives pleasing to Him. And they know that war is a terrible waste of human life.

          I have many friends who are veterans, and I have spent quite a bit of time around them. And in that time, I have never heard one speak of killing on the battlefield. Some served in Viet Nam and were involved in battles wherein several of their comrades, and many of the enemy were killed, but I never hear them talk of such things.

          I suspect that Veterans seldom talk of war because, more than most people, they hate war. And more than most people, Veterans want peace. They want to push the images of war and killing out of their minds. They would love to have all future wars cancelled and replaced with the peace and goodwill offered by Jesus.

If the whole world would accept Jesus’ offer of peace, it would be our greatest gift to Veterans, and an even greater gift to future life on the planet. 

I hope that every Veteran has a blessed Veterans Day, and that every American has a proper understanding of, and appreciation for those who serve.

Rev. W. L. Jenkins