Thankful for Those Who Serve

Today around the country we are focused on saying thank you to our service members, men and women, who have given of their lives to protect our country, our freedom and our well-being. We are all so grateful for their sacrifices.

They willingly protected us – our country, our home, our families, our freedom. They served well.

Each and every one of us who champion the name Christian are also called to be soldiers for the Lord. This requires discipline, dedication and selflessness. A soldier does what the commanding officer says without question or complaint. A soldier goes where they are assigned and does what they are told. They drill constantly while preparing for service and are disciplined in every area; eating, sleeping, uniform and tactics.

“Put up with your share of hardship as a loyal soldier in Christ’s army. Remember: 1) That no soldier on active service gets himself entangled in business, or he will not please his commanding officer. 2) A man who enters an athletic contest wins no prize unless he keeps the rules laid down. 3) Only the man who works on the land has the right to the first share of its produce. Consider these three illustrations of mine and the Lord will help you to understand all that I mean.” II Timothy 2:3-7 Phillips

As soldiers, it’s our duty to know the commanding officer and His orders for the day. It’s also important to realize that the training He puts us through is for our best; to see that we are prepared for battle, able to come through it as the victors and that we protect those around us. The Commanding Officer has the welfare of His soldiers at heart, and His goal is to see them prepared to the best of His ability. It’s the same with our loving heavenly Father!

So, as we say thank you to our veterans today, remember that we too enlisted in service. Follow the lead of our Commander as we go through basic training and AIT. We are training to serve and protect those believers and unbelievers around us who aren’t ready to take on the enemy. We’ve been called to warfare and if we battle as we were trained, we will be victorious!

“ Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. ¹² Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And “when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:11-13 ERV

Know the Commander-in-Chief. Wear the armor He gives. Fight using His weapons and when the battle is over, we will still be standing. Thankful that we were those who serve!