A single line from the book of Judges strikes a chord of sorrow in every reader’s heart. “Another generation arose which knew not Joshua nor yet the works he had done for Israel.” They forgot the great battle of Jericho; the marching and the victory. It seems almost impossible for such a thing to be left on the heap of forsaken memories. How could the nation of Israel lose the memory of one of their greatest victories? How is it possible that they had no recollection of Joshua’s deeds or the Lord’s great deliverance?
Perhaps the way to forget is not to remember. And before we see it as an elementary statement, remembering is a choice. What is repeated is remembered. That is why God was so adamant about teaching the children, “Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord.” Talk about it when you wake up and lie down. Speak it when you walk about because you will forget if you do not purpose to remember.
Tomorrow is one of those days to remember. Of the many American holidays, Veterans Day is a day not to forget. Freedom is never free. It has always come at the cost of blood.
It was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice, or peace agreement, with Germany went into effect. It was a day and moment to remember. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower renamed it Veterans Day, not only to remember the many men and women who served our nation in WWII, but also all those who served in all wars.
The price paid for our freedom was paid for with human currency. So too, the price for any church to exist, thrive, and stay spiritually healthy comes at the cost of time, sacrifice, prayer, and fasting. The elements of a spiritual church are not innovation or intellect. Rather, they are those things which help us to contend for the faith “which was once delivered.” It simply means that the freedom we have in the Holy Spirit demands spiritual warfare waged by godly men and women who are willing to give their very lives for the sake of keeping the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
While we honor our veterans for keeping our nation safe and maintaining our freedom, we also honor the prayer veterans and givers who offer themselves for the safe keeping of the Word and the worship.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole