Hi everybody, this is Joni Eareckson Tada from Joni and Friends and today is Veterans Day! You know, I was at the Baltimore-Washington airport once not long ago, and I couldn’t help but notice a handsome, elderly man with silver hair wearing a blue jacket – what drew my attention were several really colorful medals pinned to his lapel. He was wearing his Veterans of Foreign Wars hat cocked at an angle, you know, how they did in the 40s? This man was standing by a red carpet that led to the United Airlines check-in counter, and he was giving directions and helping young soldiers who had flown in earlier that day from Iraq and were boarding transfer flights to go home.
To every young man or woman in uniform carrying a duffel or a backpack, this elderly man would step right up and say, “Hi there, soldier, where are you heading home today?” He then would take their ticket, look through the folder, then direct them to the proper line. “Glad you’re back and welcome home, soldier,” the veteran would say, then he would pat on the back those servicemen as they went on their way.
I was especially interested in the manner in which these young warriors responded to that elderly veteran… I guessed he was probably from World War II or the Korean War. Each one of them said with a smile, “Thanks, sir,” and often they even saluted. I think that’s what really touched me – I looked a little closer and, yes, once in a while I saw the eyes of that elderly veteran get a little wet with tears.
I tell you, that was all the inspiration I needed that day, because that very day when I passed later on through security checkpoints and encountered several other soldiers, I decided to thank them as well and welcome them home. I still do that every time I encounter a uniformed serviceman or woman in an airport – I have to thank them, especially when I consider the many soldiers who have become disabled, like me. I mean, I really appreciate and I know you do too, what our soldiers in the armed forces, all that they’ve given; their sacrifices mean something. Their courage has opened up paths for freedom and (here’s the best part) paths for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s the most important part!
You know, in 2 Chronicles 6 Solomon prays to God about his own countrymen who were being sent off into battle and he asked the Lord, “Lord, when your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, when they pray for you toward this city, hear from heaven their prayers and their plea and uphold their cause.” I tell you, that prayer that Solomon offered up was not only fitting in his day, but you and I should pray the same – may God hear the pleas of our brave men and women in the armed forces and may he uphold their cause. Today is Veterans Day so I want you to go out of your way today, would you, to encourage a veteran from a foreign war – maybe from Vietnam, maybe from the Korean War, the Gulf War. In fact, I want you to join me right now in prayer for them. Join your heart with mine as I pray: “Father, we look forward to the day when people will beat their spears into plowshares, but until then, O, Lord, may your will be accomplished as we fight the war again terrorism. Protect our brave soldiers and encourage their families this day – on Veterans Day especially, and that includes our wonderful men and women from foreign wars in the past. We pray all of this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
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JONI AND FRIENDS
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