God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
It was quiet in the Ardennes on Sunday, December 16th,
1944.
People were preparing for their first, free Christmas
since the Nazis had been run out. It was then that hundreds of German artillery
pieces opened up on American positions. Two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand German
soldiers marched in; one thousand tanks rolled in. On the 22nd the Germans
called for the surrender of Bastogne by General A.C. McAuliffe. History records
his simple reply: "Nuts!"
History has almost ignored the words of a young
soldier from the South, who was also in Bastogne.
Being a relatively new replacement, you might expect
him to be shaking in his boots. He wasn't. He seemed so calm that one of his
comrades asked him something like, 'You do know the Krauts have us completely
surrounded, don't you?"
"Yup," came back the reply. "I feel sorry for 'em."
"What do you mean you feel sorry for them? We're the
ones who are surrounded."
"Yup, but if'n I understand correctly, this is the
fust time in this war we kin attack the enemy in any which way we want."
I like the spirit of that fellow.
You know, when I look at the world, I sometimes feel
like the Christian Church is surrounded by enemies, all of whom are calling for
us to surrender. On one side there are those who deny and challenge Scripture;
over there are the persecuting members of other religions; on that side are
those preachers who make up false doctrine as they go along.
It seems like those who are followers of the Christ
can go in any direction they want, and they will end up witnessing to the
Savior. If that's the case -- and I believe it is -- we ought to remember the
words of Scripture that serve as our text.
God is our refuge. He is our strength. He is our help.
No matter what enemy comes up against us, we who have
been saved by Jesus Christ, who have been given faith in Him, are not alone. God
has promised to be with us. Even more, we have His assurance no matter what
happens on the spiritual battlefields of this world, we will be given the final
-- the ultimate -- victory.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are days when we feel
surrounded by great and menacing forces. Grant us to know that in Jesus we are
conquerors, indeed, more than conquerors. Then, reassured and fortified, let us
do the work You have entrusted to us. In the Savior's Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Lutheran Hour Ministries
http://www.lhm.org/
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