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In April of 1917 the United States entered into World War I. While all wars are caused by the selfishness of man, the desire of our people as a whole was not our gain. Rather, it was our desire to protect the liberty which God had entrusted to us. And our people responded in great numbers to the request of President Woodrow Wilson to observe a Day of Public Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting on May 11, 1918. He requested our people to:
“…humbly and devoutly…acknowledge our dependence on Almighty God and to implore His aid and protection…with religious solemnity and the offering of fervent supplications to Almighty God for the safety and welfare of our cause, His blessings on our arms, and a speedy restoration of an honorable and lasting peace to the nations of the earth…”
(American Minute by William Federer, April 6, 2015)
Our prayers “were heard and graciously answered.” Few would argue that it was American arms which won the day for liberty in the nations of the earth and brought this mighty scourge of war to an end. And while answered prayer cannot be scientifically proven, an honest analysis of the outcome of battles and their timing can only honestly admit that God’s Hand was evident.
One soldier readily gave credit to the Lord for an almost unbelievable feat he accomplished in October of 1818. In a battle in France, Corporal Alvin York’s battalion was pinned down by over thirty German machine guns. When all but eight in Corporal York’s platoon were killed he assumed command, and worked his way around a mountainside to hopefully get a view of the German machine gun nests. Reared in the mountains of Tennessee, he was at home in the woods and an expert marksman. He gained his view and began to pick off, one at a time, the German soldiers manning those guns. He killed about 25 of them, then captured their Major, forcing him to surrender his entire command of 132 men. For such an amazing feat, York was promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Yet he steadfastly refused to take the credit for what he’d done. He stated,
“Some of them officers have been saying that I being a mountain boy and accustomed to the woods…done all these things the right way jes by instinct…
“I hadn’t never got much larnin’ from books, except the Bible. Maybe my instincts are more natural…but that ain’t enough to account for the way I come out alive, with all those German soldiers raining death on me…I’m a-telling you the hand of God must have been in that fight…
“Jes think of them 30 machine guns raining fire on me point-blank from a range of only 25 yards and all them-there rifles and pistols besides, those bombs, and then those men charged with fixed bayonets, and I never receiving a scratch, and bringing 132 prisoners.
“I have got only one explanation…that God must have heard my prayers.”
(The Washington Post, March 17, 1929; Tom Skeyhill)
When later a movie was made of his life, highlighting this battle, York showed his Christian character by donating his earnings from it to funding a Christian school near his home. This unselfish act stands in such stark contrast to the selfishness which started this awful war in the first place. But then didn’t Jesus say of his followers,
“Ye are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)
Are you willing to stand and speak up for liberty; for Christian education?
Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—and for your children! And you won’t like what that brings to you. I’m Don Pinson; this has been Think About It.