Military Service is a Good Idea

You may not think so, but, bear with me for a moment. I've had a moment of truth. Sunday, our pastor spoke on anger and, yes, that very night I heard my nephews had been involved in a fight outside a bar. Spooky. But, young men have all that testosterone and often love a "good fight" - unless it involves being clubbed from behind by a SKUNK APE COWARD and kicked repeatedly while you're down. Well, I suppose that goes with the territory. They thrive on excitement, danger, shooting off guns, loud noises, maybe flying or diving, cheap thrills, etc. etc. So, military service nicely provides them with opportunities for all of the above, plus training to defend their country and being there should it be needed. Plus, maybe they'll GROW UP A LITTLE?? Now, I realize this is not ALL young men, but I think many are helped by their experience in the armed forces.

In Psalm 7, David is calling on the Lord to rescue him from the attack of a strong enemy, confident of what the outcome will be for "He who is pregnant with evil" (verse 15), and he praises God for the victory ahead of time. His call for help is based upon an understanding of the truth. Of who God is, of who he (David) is, living in obedience to and in relationship with his Lord, and more than that, he is doing what he's supposed to be doing.

This is the optimum position to be in in order to have a correct response to an attack. First, to be in a righteous relationship with God; second, knowing Him and His character; third to call upon Him in a time of trouble with confidence, trust and praise for the outcome. When those things are not happening, the victory is the enemy's in a spiritual if not a physical sense. Still, even after a defeat, instead of compounding an error, there is a correct response. What God's Word says about anger, holding bitterness and frustrated desires for revenge is, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. " Romans 12: 17-19 ; and "do not give the devil a foothold." (Ephesians 4:27)

If the hand of God in the affairs of men and women is not taken into account, then it is impossible to correctly understand human history or individual lives.