Christian Reflection and Prayer

DEDICATED TO THOSE WHOSE LIVES
FOR THIS COUNTRY

Bible, Isaiah

They shall beat their swords
into plowshares, and their spears
into pruninghooks: nation shall
not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any
more.

John Lennon said:

When we say "War is over if you
want it," we mean that if everyone
demanded peace instead of another
TV set, we'd have peace.

Frederick Moore Vinson (1890-1953) said:

Wars are not acts of God. They are
caused by man, by man-made institutions,
by the way in which man has organized
his society. What man has made, man
can change.
Speech at Arlington National Cemetery
(Memorial Day, 1945) 

LET US CHANGE AND MAKE THIS THE
LAST MEMORIAL DAY

Scripture:

Hebrews 11:8-12

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called......And he went out, not
knowing where he was going.
(Hebrews 11:8)

I have a question for you today.
Has God ever asked you to do
something that seemed to you,
at the moment, to be unreasonable?
Something that took you into the
realm of the unknown.  Let me ask you,
What if God asked you to turn down a
long awaited promotion, or to avoid a long
awaited relationship with a person you
loved.

Reflection:

What if God called you to a remote part of
the world or asked you to let go of your
children to serve him in a faraway country.
Facing the unknown brings all kinds of
"what if's" into our minds.  Yet God quit
often asks us to chart unknown territory as
we follow Him.  Lets say, to obey His
commands to forgive, or give away all
of our earthly riches to the poor, or to give
up things that provide security and pleasure
often leaves us in the very scary territory of
the unknown outcomes.  This is really scary
to us not knowing how things are going to turn
out.  Fear of the unknown is number one on
our fear factor scale.
Now imagine Abraham and how he felt when
God asked him to literally move his whole
family without telling him where he was
going (Gen. 12: 1-3).  God also asked
Abraham to persevere, to stay in unknown
land while he was been seduced to return
with his family to the past comforts of Ur.
As our life continues, it is like entering
uncharted territory.  The fear of the unknown
could cripple our capacity to follow God's
leading through the days ahead.  Yet like
Abraham, when we cling to the One who
knows all things, WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS,
regardless where He leads us. 

Prayer:

Oh God, I realize that many things about
tomorrow, I don't understand.  But I do know
that You hold on to me tomorrow, YOU HOLD
MY HAND.
AMEN!

Scripture:

The Lord who created you says:
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters and
great trouble, I will be with you."
Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT


Two Margarets

Margaret MacLachlan and Margaret Wilson,
Covenanters in Wigtown, Scotland, were tried
for their faith on April 13, 1685, for refusing to
take the Oath of Abjuration, which stated that the
Church of God is a department of the State.
Found guilty of rebellion, attending field meetings,
and worshiping in places other than a church,
they were ordered to receive their sentences on
their knees. When they refused to bow before
anyone but God, they were forced down to their
knees and then were sentenced to death by
drowning.

On May 11, 1685, the two faithful Margarets
were tied to posts and staked in the sea as the
tide was rising. The older Margaret (MacLachlan)
was farther out. They were given many chances
to recant their beliefs, but they stood firm and
resolute.

Margaret MacLachlan remained silent, her eyes
closed throughout the ordeal, communing with
Christ until death. As the tide rose eighteen-year-
old Margaret Wilson began to sing a Covenanter
rendition of Psalm 25:7. Then, she recited from
Romans 8: "We are more than conquerors
through him that loves us.…"

After the waves washed over her head, the
soldiers pulled her out, pleading with her one
last time to "pray for the king!" She prayed,
but her pray was, "Lord, give him repentance,
forgiveness, and salvation, if it be Thy holy will.
" The angry soldiers threw her back into the water,
and she joined Margaret MacLachlan before the
throne.

We may never face the rising tide of the sea,
but the deep waters of trouble and loss can be
just as overwhelming. How do you react when
you feel you are about to drown in the rising tide
of your own troubles?

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian
History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten
(Tyndale, 2003), entry for May 11.