2003-01-23
Good Morning Faithful Ones,
The Holy Spirit leads me to say more than I have previously about Operation Market Garden, a joint plan on the part of Britain and America toward the end of WW II that was to seize seven bridges, one of them being the bridge at Arheim-on-the-Rhine in northern Holland. The reason for this plan was to use the bridges as supply lines, so the armies of the two countries could out-flank the western wall and drive into Germany. This story was depicted in the movie “A Bridge Too Far,” and has personal impact on me, because Peter and I have been to Arheim-on-the-Rhine with the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra on their ’94 concert tour of Europe to commemorate the 50th year of the D-Day Invasion. Far more importantly, this story illustrates what can happen when people don’t heed the wisdom of PR 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.” The outcome of this plan could have been very different, if both it’s leaders, General George Patton of the American Army and the British General Montgomery, had both had a better command of the word of God and had taken time to seek God’s help first in prayer, setting that example for their troops.
Both of these men had colossal egos, and we learn through MT 12: 28 that, “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” This battle of egos led to Gen. Montgomery ignoring the basic principles of warfare. The Americans dropped supplies behind enemy lines, but poor communications between these two leaders prevented proper coverage for the Dutch soldiers that would pick them up. Sadly, a huge number of Dutch soldiers were slaughtered that day, and the Nazis blew out the bridge over the Rhine. The operation was a total failure and delayed the liberation of Holland by the Americans and the Canadians. I have strong emotional feelings, because I stood in the expertly manicured graveyard filled with row after row of the graves of these soldiers who were so cruelly mowed down by the enemy. A memorial fountain stands to commemorate this Battle of Arnheim-on-the-Rhine in view of the new bridge that was erected to replace the old one after the war was over. There was a delay of six months between the liberation of northern Holland and that of southern Holland, because that is how long it took to bury all the dead soldiers. That’s because there were so many of them.
We might ask what would have been the outcome of Operation Market Garden had its leaders known, understood, and believed what is contained in Paul’s prayer in EPH 3: 14-21? Let’s take a closer look at this plea. “For this reason [that we suffer for God’s sake] I fall on my knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. I ask God from the wealth of His glory to give you power through His Spirit to be strong in your inner selves and I pray that Christ will make His home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love…” (14-17). Paul understood that the power to do what is wisest, most righteous, and best comes from God. In this prayer, which the two generals and all their troops would have done well to say before the plan was even conceived and carried out, the entire focus would have been different. Instead of relying on themselves as ego-bound individuals, the big picture of God’s plan would have been taken into consideration, and the most powerful Help in the universe would have been requested for it. The battle that Paul speaks of in RO 7: 14-25 between the flesh and the spirit would have been a consideration. The plea to God, who answers our prayers [PS 116: 1; JN 15: 7] would have gone out to strengthen their inner selves (the spirit). Think of what that would have done to their eventual behavior. Humility might have been coupled with a deeper concern for their men and the Dutch, who were valiantly fighting for their homeland against Nazis driven by those evil forces spoken of in EPH 6: 12.
EPH 3: 18-21, “So that you, together with all God’s people may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know His love-although it can never be fully known-and so be completely filled with the very nature of God. To Him Who by means of His power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen.” These two generals completely underestimated the love and power that was available to them. Had they known, understood and believed God’s word, they would have been able to tap into that strength to put together a successful plan to thwart the Nazis, and Holland would have been liberated much sooner with much less loss of life. We are so blessed when we take the time for daily study and frequent prayer. That is because we open the floodgates of that kind of power in our own battles with the adversary. We must take time to remember this important truth in our lives and to act on it. PS 145: 18, “He is near to those who call to Him, who call to Him in sincerity.”
PRAYER: O Lord, You have told us we are never alone or abandoned when we endure in obedient and trusting faith in You. IS 49: 14-16, “But the people of Jerusalem said, ‘The Lord has abandoned us! He has forgotten us!’ So the Lord answers, ‘Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. Jerusalem, I can never forget you! I have written your name on the palms of My hands.’” We are all now included in that title “Jerusalem” since all believing Gentiles have been in-grafted to the root stock of believing Jews [RO 11: 16-24]. In accordance to Your will, You wisdom is available to us any time we seek it sincerely. Dearest Abba, Your wisdom is so much higher and broader than is ours, that we are fools not to seek You out often. We place our trust in You, knowing PS 68: 19, “What a glorious Lord! He Who daily bears our burdens also give us our salvation.” We have been shown great victories come from praying first and following Your guidance-2 CH 20: 1-30, King Jehoshaphat leading the Jewish army against the combined forces of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, for example. Those God-led victories don’t only have to be great war battles; they can be in smaller, less public efforts within the contexts our own lives. The linking factor is the willingness to give You and Your Son leadership in our lives and to encourage the same in the lives of others. You have called us to build faith by the way we live and what we do with our time. You have directed us to remain in contact with You through daily study and frequent prayer. We accept those directions and the calling to faith in You. We pledge to know Your word well enough that we can evoke it’s power to do Your work in our lives. Part of that work is waging war against the forces of evil, and we dedicate ourselves to doing that, appealing to Your guidance, wisdom, compassion, patience, encouragement, and if necessary, Your correction. We humbly confess our sins and offer You our adoration, worship, loyalty, diligence, glory, honor, trust, obedience, thanks, and praise. In Christ’s holy name, amen.
Paul’s prayer in EPH 3: 14-21 is important enough that I’m led to say more about it and summarize it in tomorrow’s message. GA 6: 2-3, 5, “Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ. If someone thinks he is something when he really is nothing, he is only deceiving himself…For everyone has to carry his own load.” If only the two generals had known and understood this important teaching, how different things could have been. We must be on our knees thanking God for such precious and vital lessons as this. We can take such great comfort in knowing that the profound and unmatched love of our Lord is behind such encouragement as RO 8: 28, “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose.” Praise to God that we have been called to wage spiritual warfare in the winning side! We are truly a blessed people. Peter and I send each of you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn