Marching Orders

Depending on who I’m talking to, I’ve noticed over the years that people are usually either impressed by my military background, or they’re put off by it.  And oftentimes, it depends on their political or philosophical leanings.  However, regardless of who I’m speaking to, I tend to not play it up too much myself in any case.  Not because I’m in any way ashamed of it, but simply because in looking back on it, most of my military background is a result of God’s work in my life, rather than my own doing.

For example, I had nothing to do with my father’s being drafted out of an Eastern Connecticut mill town and sent off to fight in World War II.  And I had nothing to do with his decision to stay in the Army and make a career of it, when 90% of the rest of the veterans were getting out.  And I also then, had nothing to do with the fact that I was born in a military hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia.  And as for my decision to go to West Point, in many ways I didn’t have much to do with that either!

Yes, of course, I did have to apply to the Academy and pass all the entrance requirements; but, I was after all, born and raised in a military family.  So for me, going to West Point was no different than some other son somewhere else going off to college in order to be better prepared to someday take over the family business.  For me, my military background was simply the context I grew up in.  Some people are born and raised in Connecticut, and some are born and raised in Kansas, or California, or wherever.  I just happened to be born and raised in the Army.

Looking back on it now, having lived for 66 years and having lived almost 41 of those years as a born-again Christian, I’ve learned to appreciate the background God gave me.  Because for one thing, I think it has helped me understand in a special way the eternal significance of the battle that Christians are in.  And if your response to that last sentence is to ask, “What battle?”  Then you have just made my point.  Whether they realize it or not, Christians are all “soldiers of Jesus Christ;” and He is engaged in a world-wide struggle with Satan for the souls of men and women.

By God’s design, my designated portion of the battlefield is Rockville, Connecticut; and I have already been given my marching orders.  2,000 years ago, before He returned to heaven, Jesus told His followers what their primary responsibility was supposed to be.  Christians were (and still are) supposed to go out into all the world (beginning wherever they are) and make disciples of all peoples.  To accomplish that God-ordained mission, Christians must first disciple themselves.  They must believe in Jesus’ mission, and then they must discipline themselves so that the accomplishment of His mission is foremost in their hearts and minds.

Every good story has a setting, a conflict, a climax, and a resolution.  The setting of our story is this fallen world into which we have all been born.  The conflict is as I’ve already stated, God’s world-wide struggle with Satan for the souls of men and women.  The climax for each one of us comes when we make a personal decision to “put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11).  And the resolution will happen when Jesus Christ comes again to establish His will “on earth as it is in heaven.”

I believe God has called me to lead Union Congregational Church so that together we can help turn the tied in the battle for the hearts and souls of the men, women and children of Rockville.