Remembering Memorial Day
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war
break out against me, even then will I be confident.
Ps. 27:3
There have been wars since almost the beginning of time and shall be until the
end (Dan. 9:26). However, most of you have never experienced a World
War. Some fought bravely and many died in Korea, or in Vietnam, but as
bad as it was, the whole world was not at war since World War II. Many
people today do not even know what Patriotism is. They do not understand
why eyes fill with tears when saluting the American flag, or why tears flow
while listening to the song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty.”
The word, ‘Patriotism’, means “devotion to one’s country”. Yet, how
little respect many Americans have for the United States and how little for the
‘red, white and blue’. Those without respect for country and flag are
trampling on the graves of the hundreds of thousands who fought and died for
love of country. If we could see what America would have been like if it
weren’t for those brave men who fought for their country.
Let me tell you of one such man. He was young – just turned eighteen when
war with Japan broke loose. He lied his age to get in the military and
joined the army to see the world, but not in the way he experienced it.
After basic training, he was stationed at Hawaii, a paradise for a small town
boy. He left home with the fear of God in his heart, but the world
quickly drew him into its snare. He partied in paradise completely
oblivious to the fact that paradise was about to be turned into Hell. He
had a 3-day pass and headed away from Scoffield Barracks early in the morning,
on his motorcycle, along with some of his buddies.
Suddenly the sky was filled with planes, bombs dropping everywhere and fighter
planes riddling everything that moved with the staccato of thousands of rounds
of ammunition. The boys turned around their motorcycles and headed back
to camp. The young man grabbed an anti-aircraft gun of a soldier who had
fallen and he began shooting, not knowing or caring who the enemy was.
That day, the news read like this:
“Early in the morning of December 7, 1941,
Japanese submarines and carrier-based planes attacked the U.S. Pacific fleet at
Pearl Harbor. Nearby military airfields were also attacked by the Japanese
planes. Eight American battleships and 13 other naval vessels were sunk or
badly damaged, almost 200 American aircraft were destroyed, and approximately
3000 naval and military personnel were killed or wounded. The attack marked the
entrance of Japan into World War II on the side of Germany and Italy, and the
entrance of the United States on the Allied side.” On December 11,
1941, Germany also declared war on the United States. The entire world
was then at war.
When the young man went back to his barracks, it had almost been
destroyed. The water pipes were broken and many soldiers were killed as
they slept in their bunks, which left the floor awash with bloody water.
His bunk, an upper one, was riddled with bullet holes, which went through
killing the soldier beneath. Truly, it was by the grace of God, he was
spared.
From
there he was shipped out to the island of New Guinea where he fought the
Japanese for the next four years. He was gone from his home five years to
the day, when he finally returned home. It wasn’t until he was in his sixties
that the U.S. government honored him for his heroism at Pearl Harbor. He
received medals and a flag from the state capitol. He was extremely proud
of his service to his country. He belonged to an elite group called,
“Pearl Harbor Survivors”.
The
horrors of the things he experienced were to remain with him the rest of his
life. Over the years, he tried to drown the memories out with alcohol. He
spoke often of being a loner, who would take his camper out to isolated spots
where he would just sit by a camp fire and think. In his later years, he
dried out and became a pleasanter person, but his life style of alcohol and
cigarettes dissipated his body and at seventy-two, he passed from this
world. How do I know all this about the young man? He was my
brother.
War
does horrible things to people. Some are affected more than others, but
no one is ever the same. My brother was twelve years older than I was,
but as a child, I too was touched by the war. I grieved for the brother
that carried me on his shoulders, or played horsy so I could ride on his
back. I lost him when he left for the service and that loving, caring
brother never returned. He would forever be a stranger to me.
As
we remember the brave on Memorial Day, let us take a spiritual look at fighting
in the service – the service of the King. “Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of
God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.”
Eph.
5:10-13
The same spiritual enemy, who worked through the World Wars, is still warring
against us. He wants to defeat us and drive us into a hopeless
lifestyle. He won’t give up, but the good news is, God has provided for
us, so we can stand against him. We don’t have to turn to the things of
the world. We don’t have to be blind, wretched and naked. Not when
we can put on the whole armor of God. Verse 18 says, “praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”
Today let us remember those who gave their lives for our country. Also,
there are multitudes of unsung Christian heroes and martyrs who have paved the
way for us. Let us hold their service dear to our hearts and be proud to
be a part of the Kingdom of God, which is the true “land of the free, and
the home of the brave”.
