Veterans

At Hope Church this past Sunday, we were blessed to get to learn from a guest pastor, Daniel Thomas, who is a United States Marine.

There are no "former Marines" or "ex-Marines". As he informed us, "Once a Marine, always a Marine." So even though Daniel is now living live with his wife and two children, as a youth pastor of a large church, he is still a Marine.

He spoke on Ephesians 6, and told us great stories of life in the armed forces.

The rifle that a Marine is issued, never leaves his side.

He knows every single millimeter of that rifle.

That rifle is never to be more than an arm's length away.

For the Marine, his weapon is a rifle.

For the Christian, his weapon is the Scriptures.

To be never more than an arm's length away, metaphorically.

To be known inside and out.

On Veterans Day, to get to hear how God used the life of a Marine to make His name magnified, was a treasure.

Daniel mentioned that we are all shaped by our experiences. Though we are all made new in Christ, we each are still a product of what we have endured through our lives.

Our experiences will continue to shape how we view our circumstances and what comes our way.

A Marine may always make comparisons between their current life and their time in battle.

The former alcoholic may never be able to scan the drinks page on a restaurant menu.

I might always have a hard time trusting young men and their intentions.

We are all shaped by our experiences.

But we are all made free in Christ.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Let's keep that in mind as we love on those we encounter. 

Because we may have no idea where they have walked.