There Are Traditions

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friend.

    A few days ago I was sitting on the balcony at our condo in Cabo San Lucas enjoying a morning cup of coffee. Part of my view from the balcony included the Sector Naval Cabo San Lucas (Mexican Naval Base). As the sun rose in the sky, the base was coming to life and people were beginning their busy days. No matter which country or Navy you serve in, there are traditions that must be upheld. One of those traditions is raising the flag of your country in the morning. Music plays, the flag is raised, salutes are rendered and orders are given. The specifics may vary but the end result is to raise the flag and pay homage to all the things that flag stands for. In the case of the USA, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

    There is a bond amongst those who serve a country. Part of this bond comes from the belief that at some point, you may be called upon to give your life so that what your country stands for may continue on for another generation.  The other part of this bond comes from being willing to lay down your life to save the life of another serving with you. We remember the words from John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friend. Cemeteries in this country and abroad have many graves for those who in the words of Abraham Lincoln gave that last full measure of devotion.  We also remember our Savior Jesus Christ who gave the last full measure of His life in devotion to His Father and out of love for all mankind. The words of John 3:16-18 ring true today as much as ever before in the past and as much as they ever will in the future. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

    When will take time today to remember the men and women who served our country and gave that last full measure so that you and I can worship God freely. Today, also take time to remember the reason for their sacrifice. One nation under God.

PRAYER: Almighty God, we stand in pause today to remember those who have served our country and are gone from this life. We thank You for their lives and their sacrifice. We thank You for the country we live in. And we ask for Your will to be done in how our country is governed today and every day. To You be all praise, honor and glory - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Crushed Spirits

Psalm 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Moore, Oklahoma is a town not known for being well-known or famous. That is until May 20, 2013. A devastating tornado ripped through Moore and lay waste to blocks and blocks of homes, businesses and schools.As I write these words, the grim task of calculating the death and injury toll is still unfinished. I do not envy the task of the search and rescue teams. The community continues to search amongst the piles of debris that were once beautiful buildings for any survivors. Stories are emerging of families being united, teachers bravely protecting children from the wrath of what is by some estimates an EF 5 twister. Inevitably there will be stories of those who did not survive the storm.  For the residents of Moore it is a time of despair over the horrific loss of life and property.  At the same time it is a time of great hope that those listed amongst the missing will be found alive.

This can also be a time when the spirits of those who survived can by crushed by the sorrow over the loss of family, friends, homes, businesses, places of worship and schools.  In this hour we are all touched by the tragedy and our thoughts prayers and offers of assistance turn towards Moore.  Moore serves as a poignant reminder that life is short, and life is precious. In our times of sorrow we cling to the promise of salvation paid for on the cross by Christ Jesus. And we earnestly pray for comfort, compassion, healing and peace from a loving God, our Father in heaven. Our prayers include a plea that in the face of this tragedy, that a generous measure of faith from the Holy Spirit be poured out into the hearts of all who are affected by this tragedy. We ask for strength to endure, and the willpower to resist the temptation to let their spirits be crushed by the weight of this event.  We offer our prayers knowing that the prayers of a righteous man are heard by God. We offer these prayers with righteous earned not by our own hands, rather with the precious blood of the Son of God. This gift we hold onto knowing that when our time comes, we have a room reserved in the house of our Father in Heaven.  Please pray for Moore, Oklahoma.

PRAYER: Almighty and everlasting God, you are our rock and our salvation. We turn to you in this time of tragedy and sorrow as Your children. We ask for Your peace that surpasses all understanding to flow into the hearts and lives of those suffering in Moore, Oklahoma. We ask that healing of body, mind and soul would be quick for those in need. Father, do not let their spirits be crushed by this tragedy. We turn to You Lord and ask that You would guide our hands in reaching out to those in need. These things we ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.