Memorial Day

Yesterday on Memorial Day Craig and I watched a documentary film on TV called, The Conscientious Objector. It told the story of Desmond Doss, a medic in the army during WWII, who was a conscientious objector. He went in to the army willingly, but made it known going in that he would not carry or fire a weapon of any kind. It was against his religious beliefs to kill or injure another person.
I was so impressed by this man's faith. He was ridiculed during basic training. Other men threw their boots at him as he prayed by his cot at night. His superiors tried to have him kicked out of the army. But he never once gave in. He said that he knew if he compromised his faith once, he would have to compromise again and again. He even asked for a pass each Friday to leave the base to celebrate the Sabbath, even after he was told that he could not get one ever again. Desmond just continued to put God first in his life.
The story goes on to tell about how his troop saw action in Guam and Okinawa, and how all the men in his troop gained such respect for him because he cared so much for them - even the ones who had taunted him or threw their boots, or tried to get him kicked out. He was not afraid to go into battle to try to help a wounded man.
His company came to respect and love him so much, that one time his superior delayed an attack so that Desmond would have time for devotions and prayers. Another time Desmond lost his Bible during a battle, and the men in his troop, knowing how much it meant to him, risked their lives to find his Bible. Finally, there was a specific battle where he saved 75 men during heavy combat. He said that he just kept praying, "Lord, let me help just one more."
 Even when Desmond got wounded himself he kept trying to help others. He gave up his litter (the cot he was being carried on) for another man who was more seriously wounded.
For his bravery, he earned the congressional medal of honor- one of only 3 conscientious objectors to ever receive that honor.
His story really made me stop and think. Do I really live what I believe? How much do I love Jesus? Am I willing to endure ridicule and more? Do the people around me know what I believe?
I want to be like Desmond Doss. I want my beliefs to affect how I live.  I want to be faithful to God all the time.
I am so thankful for the men and women in our military, who are there defending our freedoms, and fighting so that others might be free. I say thank you to them, and to their families!

_____________________________________________
In my Bible memorization using the book, 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart  as a guide, I have come to a section called "Promises: Verses to Stand On."
The first verse is Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
The author of the book takes time to talk about the whole passage, Matthew 6:19-34. He says that it talked about the sin of worry. I am going to take some time to meditate on this passage, since I have trouble with worrying.
He ends this section with a quote by Charles Spurgeon, a paraphrase or sorts of Matthew 6:33:
Seek ye first the Lord, and then He will provide for you everything that is profitable for you in this life and He will crown it with everything that is glorious in the life to come.
What a wonderful promise!!
Won't you memorize Matthew 6:33 with me today?