17 Nov, 2010
Life Is a Battlefield
Staff Sargeant Salvatore Giunta became the first living man to earn the highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, on Tuesday. President Obama proudly placed the medal on Giunta's neck in a ceremony at the White House, honoring him for the way in which the soldier placed his own life on the line in an effort to rescue his fellow soldiers from the enemy.
. . . Giunta "exposed himself to withering enemy fire," his medal citation said, to pull a comrade back to cover when a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan split up his squad. Later, while trying to link up with the rest of his squad, Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier.
"He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other (and provided) medical aid as his squad caught up and provided security," the citation said.
. . . The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be given to an individual in the U.S. Army.
(Excerpt from www.reuters.com; Image from Google Images)
Psalm 18:16-18
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about being rescued?
Today's scripture is a Psalm of David. He wrote it in response to the way in which God rescued him from the hands of his enemies, and specifically from Saul. Of all people, David knew what it meant to be pursued and captured by his enemies, to battle them, to be betrayed by those he thouht were his friends. Earlier in the chapter, David describes his situation just before God rescued him: (vv. 4-5) "The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me." Can you imagine being in David's shoes? I imagine there were times when he thought, "This is it! Surely this will be the end!" But praise God, He had other plans! Because then comes the dramatic rescue . . . then comes the rest of the story!
How can I connect today's story and God's Story scripture to my life?
Although you may not find yourself in fatigues and physically fighting a visible enemy, dodging bullets and diving into trenches, as Christians, we have a very real enemy and you fight battles, daily. Think for a moment about what kind of battles you find yourself in currently. Some battles that you may face include: laziness or busyness, food or substance addictions, language (the things you say/don't say), money and greed, jealousy, anger, bitterness. What is it in your life that the enemy is targeting and using to gain a tighter hold on your life? The Bible says that our enemy, the devil, is seeking to destroy us - he wants to use whatever he can to capture you and pull you away from God.
- Take some time this week to really face your battles. No matter where you are in them (losing or winning), remind yourself that God is there to rescue you, daily! He wants to be your support and your stronghold and he will never shy away from swooping in and reclaiming you right out of satan's grasp! Get honest with God, confess the things that battle for your attentions and ask God to rescue you from them. Our God is the Great Overcomer (Jn. 16:33)!
How can I connect today's story, God's Story scripture, and my story to others?
Have you ever found yourself in Giunta's position, horrified to look up and see the enemy (Satan) running the other direction with your friends in tow? Surely we can all come up with people right now who we know are being carried away (however slowly) by the Enemy. Some of them don't even realize it and they need us to be willing to risk it all in an effort to save them. Ultimately, we know that God is the One who does the rescuing - only He can change hearts and save the souls of our friends - but we've been armed with a couple mighty weapons: (the Word and The Holy Spirit) and God wants to use us in the lives of our friends!
Here are a few things you can do to help a friend battle the Enemy:
- Pray for opportunities to speak to your friends about the directions you see them heading; let them know you are concerned and that you care. Pray for each one by name. When God does give you the opportunity to say something, don't let it pass you by! Take a risk! The deeper you let your friends get into "enemy territory," the harder it is to bring them out.
-If you see a friend battling anything that is illegal or life-threatening tell a trusted adult who can help the situation.
- Talk to your friends about what Giunta did for his friends and ask them if they would do the same. Share how God has rescued you, in the midst of your battles (this may even be an opportunity for you to share how you came to know Christ).
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