This weekend we celebrate 65 years since brave US soldiers stormed the coast of France on D-day.
We pause to honor all those who put everything on the line to help secure the gift of freedom.
But why was this battle and so many others fought even necessary?
Two words immediately come to mind: Isolationism and Evil
Up to that time America had always had a theory that the prudent thing was to avoid engagement in affairs outside our borders. But this changed when we were attacked by Japanese forces aligned with the Axis of Germany and Italy. We joined with the Allied nations in an effort to survive. We knew that if we did not conquer we would be conquered.
Few understood the extent of the evil being done on both sides of the world by Axis nations at that time. But we know now that multiplied millions were needlessly massacred. Even people residing in countries where the atrocities were carried out seemed not to know what was being done behind the gates and barbed wire. Why? Isolationism. They didn’t want to know because of what it might mean to them.
But this was not the first evil in the world. The bible tells us where that came from in Genesis 3.
And by Genesis 6 we find that there was so much evil in the world that “the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth…”. So, God chose the man Noah and spoke to him about something radical in order to save his family and the world. You know the rest of the story.
Because Noah was a man of faith, he heard what God said, he believed what God said, and he acted upon what God said. And he did something unheard of… and saved the world.
In Exodus we see another time of crisis and evil. God’s people had become slaves. Their cries were ascending before God. So God once again spoke to a man and asked him to do something radical about it.
In chapter 3 we read these words which God spoke to Moses: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them…”.
I love how God cares about people! He is always in the business of delivering them from evil when they respond in faith.
You know the rest of the story - how God helped Moses overcome the greatest authorities of his day to bring men freedom… when he heard what God said, believed what God said, and acted on what God said.
In 1 Samuel 17 we read another account of the struggle between good and evil. We read how David was sent by his father to see how his brothers were doing in their army service. When he finds them, they are lined up for battle but no battle is raging. Israel was paralyzed with fear because of the giant Goliath who was shouting curses on them and on their God as he challenged them to a personal duel to the death… winner take all.
David, perplexed with what he saw and heard asked this very significant question: “Is there not a cause?” He knew that there should have been one. There had to be one. So he rallied to try to make one.
Rejected by his brothers and others he finally made it to the king who heard his cause and agreed to be his sponsor. He offered what he thought would be David’s best protection – heavy armor. But David rejected it. David chose to go into battle with only what he had in his hand and in his heart.
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied…. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
And He did!
As Christians we face many battles against evil in our culture today. These battles are not political. They are not because of bad economic times. These battles are spiritual ones… and they are real today because of the isolationism that Christians have practiced for years in this culture.
It is time for Christians to unite to defend our faith and the freedoms that have come to America because of it. If we do nothing, evil will triumph and we will be silenced and made prisoners of another worldview. We are almost there! The battle lines are drawn. Is there not a cause?
Let’s use what is in our hands and step forward with courage knowing that the battle is the Lord’s!
RENEWANATION is committed to “offering every child a Christian worldview”.
