Untouchables

I heard a Military Scripture Reader speak today, and the openness about his work and calling was both refreshing, but also challenging. How do you square the circle of giving the gospel to a soldier who faces a tour in Afghanistan and puts his life on the line? How do you approach the core belief of real places like heaven and yes, hell, without putting a young soldier on a guilt trip before he is deployed, while staying true to the truth of the Scripture?

The Army Scripture Reader told his story. He was watching the repatriation of a soldier, killed in action, his coffin draped in the Union Flag and bearing his cap, as it was escorted from the back of a Hercules air transporter by members of his unit who marched slowly as the journey to his final place of rest was continued. The question that came to the mind of this young Scripture Reader startled me. “Where is that young soldier NOW”? He believes it was straight from God, and the question catapulted him into service to present the gospel to mostly young, and godless soldiers. Now read the question again.

We have come to venerate our military, and we get very protective and patriotic when they go on active service, and when they return, either as a triumphant marching unit, or in a coffin. The young men who offer their life in their country’s service can do no wrong, and are almost raised to sainthood. They are honoured in church and society alike for the price they are willing to pay for our continued freedom, and rightly so.

Now back to the question that God placed in the mind of our young Scripture Reader. He emphasised that the Word of God is true for all, and does not exempt soldiers, sailors or airmen, no matter their rank, or how highly we think of them. Like us all, when presented with the truth of the gospel, they have a choice to make, the answer to which will determine whether they spend eternity in heaven or hell. No in between state, one or the other. So perhaps we need to see behind the sentiment of the bravery and the uniform, and recognise the need of a Saviour in our military that we all have, and the same question we must all answer.

Missing In Action

(Some Blogs are ‘routine’, but this one sits heavy on my heart.)

The words of a song by Steve Green, and also recorded by our local singer Alistair McAlees, provide a backdrop to the need to care for our wounded soldiers, who might just be missing in action, and yet hardly missed at all. The lyrics are:

See all the wounded
Hear all their desperate cries for help
Pleading for shelter and for peace
Our comrades are suffering
Come let us meet them at their need
Don't let a wounded soldier die

Chorus:
Come let us pour the oil
Come let us bind their hurt
Let's cover them with a blanket of His love
Come let us break the bread
Come let us give them rest
Let's minister to healing to them
Don't let another wounded soldier die

Obeying their orders
They fought on the front lines for our King
Capturing the enemy's stronghold
Weakened from battle
Satan crept in to steal their lives
Don't let a wounded soldier die  
 
‘Old soldiers never die, they just fade away’ goes the old saying, and so true. They do their bit in service, then some fall while in action, and we turn our backs on their need for help and comfort. We say we are not able to help, however we certainly can talk about them, but not directly, more at them from a safe distance. Who knows the battle they were fighting when they fell? Were they on a battlefield we had not faced? Are we so safe and secure that we will never fall, or need that same oil poured into our wounds?

Might I suggest that the title could read, ‘Missing Inaction’? Is it right that we do nothing? The song reminds us that this soldier may just die, and twice! Can we let that happen, or should we at least try to pour some oil, instead of vinegar, on those wounds? But how will I know who they are, I hear you ask? Oh, you will know someone who is hurting. Another clue is they might not be at church recently. I suppose one of my questions is this: Am I happy to let other soldiers do the fighting, while I am sitting in the Officer’s Mess? And anyway, I will go to the funeral, and might even say a few words on their behalf. Is that not enough? For my part, I don’t think so. The wounded soldier might just be you, or me, in the future. As we embark on a new year, I trust and pray this will not be the case, as we keep short accounts with our Lord.