Remembrance Day
I have been in lots of wars. Some of the most fierce were with my brothers that only ended in peace because of the intervention of parents. Even then there was not a lot of peace that followed, only discipline. I have had wars with friends because of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. I have even been at war with my best friend, my wife, although in each of these cases I came to realise that it was my fault and that I should say sorry first!
It only takes a single word to start a war! I have often said this to my children in the aftermath of conflict as we are wiping tears away and trying to untangle the confused state of who said what and who did what first. It only takes a single word, and words turn to actions and me and him turns into us and them and we have a war.
Wars don’t just happen, they are started somewhere, by someone! But wars worthy of the title never remain with the individual they always involve everyone. When it becomes us, we are all called forward as a community, as a nation, in which we all play our part.
It is for the politicians amongst us to declare the war.
It is the Generals job to strategise and mobilise the troops.
It is the soldiers job to bear arms and face the enemy, and to do so offering their lives! For their loved ones, for everyone they knew and everyone they didn’t and for all of us that follow.
And then it becomes every one’s job to remember. Everyone and all those that follow, it is their job, our job, our duty, to remember.
To remember fallen loved ones, husbands, wives, dads, mums, children. To remember how much it cost. To remember so that we might treat war and potential war with the dignity and fear it demands. To remember to watch our words least we start a war.
And it is our job, as disciples of Jesus, to pray. To pray for our politicians that they would earnestly seek the wisdom of God. To pray for our Generals as they discern a path through strategy and the safety of our troops. To pray for our soldiers as they do the job that most of us couldn’t and do so willingly putting their own life at risk. And it is also our job as disciples of Jesus to pray for our enemies!
Blessed are those that morn… for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the merciful… for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers… for they will be called children of God.
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