Hacksaw Ridge was a movie released in 2016 that chronicled Corporal Desmond Doss' sacrificial heroics in WWII. Doss enlisted to serve his country, but believed he was called to save lives, not take them. This decision led to many hardships for Doss during his military training, but he ultimately became a battlefield medic. While serving on the island of Okinawa, he saw some of the fiercest fighting documented in the war. That day on Hacksaw Ridge, Doss relentlessly kept moving through the darkness to reach wounded soldiers and carry them to safety. In sheer exhaustion, both physically and mentally, Doss groaned out his prayer, "Please Lord, help me get one more." And so, He did. One after another, through God’s strength alone, Doss courageously saved 75 soldiers who had been given up for dead.
On October 12, 1945, President Harry Truman awarded Doss the Medal of Honor. Similarly, we're engaged in a horrific war where souls hang in the balance of eternal consequence, so it's only fitting that we'd also pray on this Memorial Day, and every day, "Please, Lord, help me get one more!"
Memorial Day marks the sacrifice made for the freedom we enjoy. At the core of our American vision and courage is our foundational Christian faith. The enemy, Satan, who comes to “steal, kill and destroy” is attacking our country, culture and family - at the point of our faith and mission - to “save one more” by sharing the gospel, being there to pull them out of the pit of sin and help mend their wounds.
This Sunday is not simply part of a holiday weekend. It’s a time to “worship in spirit and truth” and to prepare for the battles of ministry. Memorial Day is not simply a holiday. It is a day to honor those who honored us with the sacrifice of their lives and to understand that the freedom paid for by their blood is a stake in our current national debate. In the end, the only thing that will keep our country strong and our freedom secure is a recommitment to the Truth and Authority of God’s Word. May the church be the church that God so designed, by engaging in the spiritual battles of mission and ministry.
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