2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
When we honor our Veterans we frequently say:
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
I was having fellowship with some dear ones and they recounted together - we know few men who have laid down their lives. Many have family who have served. And this is a profound Blessing of God. We did lose someone we still remember with honor and cherished memories.
We have many things to remember as we sort through the memories making a beautiful life. Gratitude - my father served during Korea, what he had to say about being in the military: never before had he been so challenged. Never before did he find what he was capable of in diligence and harsh circumstance. Never had he learned such respect for his belongings and care given for the order of these tools. My father was profoundly grateful for this training and lived all his life sorting his things in to precise order he found to make life's paths straighter. We always voted to be in his immaculate car!
My grandfather served as Civilian Air Patrol during World War II and he told my grandmother, the world was orderly and beautiful, our problems small and the Blessing of God apparent. The country needed protection.
My great-grandfather served in his 40s as an Ambulance Driver during World War I. He found the blood shed to be horrendous. And the disregard for what was profound for centuries disregarded by sheer mindless cruelty. He brought back disregarded weapons of the enemy, I think this made him feel better to see enemy weapons abandoned.
Really, mostly we don't have clear ideas in our patchwork memories of war.
Because of the Success of our Veterans. The Blessing not of reluctant fighters hired to drag themselves out, but as our Sermon brought out, we are able in life to grab part of God's Word and apply this to life. Like a Good Song. A recording to hold on to in crisis or comfort in good times. We live by Every Word of God. And find the Name of Jesus to be what Covers us all.
2 Corinthians 4:18 ~ what is unseen is Eternal
War does not cover us, Peace of the Victory surrounds us daily. This is the Day to Thank Our Veterans.
Let's start with Today.
We live where people put out statues. And expect them to survive. Even if these statues are pelicans. Sand castles are displayed expecting to endure in beach towns. Colleges are still open as prices increase - hope is expectant.
Childhood parenting thoughts continue and are more set in the stride of life. We expect a good life for our children.
The busiest travel days are found this time of year to reunite those we Love. Families.
Even the Hallmark channel has clones at least 4 channels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have more Marriages and fewer babies born without the Dad.
We have Praying Increasing with Faith - God Loves me and God Loves you.
We have more people going to Church.
When we think of this, this Makes my DAY, WOW!!!
In Family History this is our child saying until Elementary, "This IS More Betters!!!"
As we go down the street, thanks to Freedom. Freedom paid for. We see civilians saying God brings us safety, future and is our trust. Veterans have won the peace.
Micah 6
Give Justice with Mercy and walk humbly with God.
We believe this, we live this, and we have seen Veterans give this to us - gently.
In Texas, it's chilly, rainy and wet and if you look at this street, in my neighborhood today, you find a dozen flags for Veteran's Day. This is not one individual, this is a Celebration from many. The owners, the neighborhood and a realtor.
Romans 5
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
This is the portion of the Bible telling us - because we see Jesus and His Light in mankind, because we have faith God is going to continue to carry flawed mankind - we have the temerity, the valor, the prevailing hope in Jesus Christ to make the efforts of Justice pour down like Waters. There has never been a generation were we cooed at all of mankind. We are elevated in our hopes for our families, communities and the world due to our hopes for good in mankind brought about by Jesus.
Valor exists because of Faith, Hope and Love found in Jesus in mankind.
When you've lived for half a century, we can recall - you didn't always do ... THIS. And now if someone rides past you with this, you probably put a smile on in your heart. We Pray Expectantly as a Nation. We Hope. We Believe.
Daniel 12:3.
And they that be wise shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness
as the stars for ever and ever
When I drive down a neighborhood road on a regular day - I enjoy counting how many flags I will see. When Realtors leave flags, I see my neighbors remove the flag to mow and then replace it and replace it and replace it - where it will eventually be placed next to the door. This isn't Nationalism to be said with gloom. This is in God We Trust. It's not the good bubble of deny "The Opportunities for a Solution" in Real Life - this is rejoicing in the present Blessing of God continuing to the generation unborn. Our Hope and our Future.
We can't say our Flag is like Easter and the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We can say that by the tender mercy of God we have hope that the wilderness of life can be tamed. The Kindness and Light in Mankind will multiply like the fish and the bread a young boy brought Jesus Christ. And in this we find the temerity to have Valor of Hope in a frustrating world. We find Jesus overcomes and we can take a deep breathe and try again. Our God is the lifter of our hopes and He is our Shield. And in the Name of Jesus, He is our hope for glory.
We bring His Light to share for the generations. Every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Jesus Christ, Who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!!!!!!!
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♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †