Standing My Ground...

I'm not a veteran. I wish I were. My Granddad was a WWII vet and a tank machine gunner. My dad is Vietnam vet. But I'm not. I tried. I had my orders in hand and was told that I was going to be assigned to the 807th MASH out of Paducah. The army's allergy specialist called me to Memphis and released me because of asthma. Part of me is thankful, because it wasn't long after I was released that the first Gulf War started and I would have been deployed. But part of me can't stand the fact that I wasn't able to do something that my dad, granddad, and millions of others have.

The other night, Steph was watching Forrest Gump. It's a good flick, but that war scene gets me every time. Forrest, Bubba, Lt. Dan, and the rest of the unit came under fire and men were dropping all around Forrest. Lt. Dan told them to fall back and Forrest took off running. Then it hit him that there was no one else running with him, so he went back. As he did, he saw one of his buddies lying injured, so he picked him up, tossed him over his shoulder, and carried him to where the medivac could pick him up. Then he went back to look for Bubba. Every time he went back he found another soldier lying injured, so one by one, he tossed them over his shoulder and carried them out. He even carried out Lt. Dan, who was shouting orders and cussing Forrest for not letting him die with his men. He ordered him to put him down and let him die, but Forrest just wouldn't do it. He stood his ground because he knew that what he was doing was the right thing to do, even against orders. He did finally find Bubba and carried him out, but it was too late. Bubba didn't make it. Forrest would not fall back until all of his buddies that could be save, were.

This morning, Paul is talking about not falling back. In the letter to the Hebrews, he says this: "So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, he who is coming will come and not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him. But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."

At no time in my life has this spoken more clearly to me. I have finally found the call God has for me, and I will not shrink back. Hopefully, you have a similar resolve for whatever it is God has called you to do.

Peace,

Jamie