Beyond Common Sense

Last evening, Tom and I watched a wonderful movie recommended by spiritclips.com for Memorial Day called An American Story aka After The Glory. (By the way, if you have not discovered spiritclips.com, it’s a wonderful site for good family films sponsored by Hallmark.  Check it out!)

The film is about six WW2 soldiers who come back to their hometown in Texas to find unbearable corruption in the town’s political engine.  Wonderful story, but the one idea that struck me was that these six soldiers came from all walks of life: a lawyer, a Mexican, a factory worker, a bartender; but on the battle field they had become best friends–equals–six men battling a common enemy, fighting for their lives!

War–the great equalizer.  When a soldier puts on a uniform and carries a gun, he stands shoulder to shoulder with his comrades.  They don’t worry about skin color, their financial state, or their educational achievements. One goal and one enemy has united them.

As Christians, we too are equal–the ground at the cross is level.  Sin is our great equalizer, knocking down any props of prideful successes we may be leaning on and requiring each of us to kneel at the feet of Jesus, asking for forgiveness and seeking a new life in Christ.  Can you imagine if we could earn forgiveness and the keys to heaven by our own good deeds?  What a mess we would make of things!  Heaven would then become like the Mormon heaven where there are different levels to earn!  Pride would annihilate the humble spirit of “just as I am, I come,” and worst of all, Jesus would have died in vain!  We are all equality guilty and all in need of a Savior.

Our enemy is also the great equalizer.  Satan freely attacks us all, perhaps not in the same way, but he only exists for one reason: to destroy God’s people or keep mankind enslaved to him. We are equal in our battle against him, each holding the fort in our spot on the battlefield, all fighting for the common cause: bringing glory and honor to our Commander!

As we enjoy this opening holiday of the summer season, may we take pause to remember all those who fought and died for our freedom.  No matter how great or small the deed, we remember each soldier  who paid the ultimate price!

May this Memorial Day also serve as a reminder of our fallen comrades who have died for the cause of Jesus Christ!  It would serve each of us well to say a prayer for Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, the 27 year old Sudanese mother destined to be executed if she does no renounce her Christian faith.  The battle is ours, my friend!

War–the great equalizer.  Christian, is there not a cause?

          Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

        ye soldiers of the cross;

        lift high his royal banner,

        it must not suffer loss.

        From victory unto victory

        his army shall he lead,

        till every foe is vanquished,

        and Christ is Lord indeed.

 

        Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

        the trumpet call obey;

        forth to the mighty conflict,

        in this his glorious day.

        Ye that are brave now serve him

        against unnumbered foes;

        let courage rise with danger,

        and strength to strength oppose.

 

        Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

        stand in his strength alone;

        the arm of flesh will fail you,

        ye dare not trust your own.

        Put on the gospel armor,

        each piece put on with prayer;

        where duty calls or danger,

        be never wanting there.

 

        Stand up, stand up for Jesus,

        the strife will not be long;

        this day the noise of battle,

        the next the victor’s song.

        To those who vanquish evil

        a crown of life shall be;

        they with the King of Glory

        shall reign eternally.