Wars and rumors of wars!

Today is a brand new day and yesterday will have its own highlights that will come up when you do a search on what happened on that particular day. This is how history is recorded and that’s what I am thinking about on this Thursday, June 25, 2009. Yesterday, the 24th, a huge majority of the folks over in Scotland would have commemorated the 695th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. In this legendary battle, Robert the Bruce (of Braveheart fame) led Scottish forces to victory over King Edward II and his English army. When we were in Scotland back in the mid 1990’s they were still talking about this victory as if it had happened within the last few years. On today’s date, the 25th, back in 1876, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his entire regiment was wiped out at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. It was also on this date in 1950 that the Korean War officially started. Sadly, the history of humanity, from Cain and Abel forward, has been written in blood.

We do not have to look very long or far to discover the enmity that exists within the human family. That tidbit from our experience in Scotland was eerie to us. Those talking about that battle were still very upset and angry about how after winning that famous victory they had eventually lost their independence. However, they made it clear that they were still dreaming of the day when their prince would come, another Robert the Bruce who will rise up and win back their country. These people were very emotional, almost to the point of tears, about something that happened over six hundred years ago. There are certainly enough tears to go around when we consider the ravages of hate that prevails in our world. Yet, the reality of history also provides us with hope, even in a world given over to a record of continued vicious atrocities.

That hope is centered on a historical figure, a real person, the coming of a real man, God Himself in human flesh, the God-man, the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus! He alone fought ‘the’ battle and won against all the forces of evil, hate, and the source of tears for the entire world. That battle was won on an old rugged cross with victory forever accomplished and then it was visibly proclaimed three days later in the Resurrection of our Savior! There is only one way that true love can ever be experienced. There is only one way true peace will ever reign supreme. There is only one way and it comes by His own declaration in which we can celebrate Him and what He brings to those who respond to His offer of salvation: “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”. (John Chapter 14) Amen and Amen. ……More later.