For those that run into the breach not from it...THANK YOU!

What drives a man or woman to give of themselves sacrificially for another?  What pushes some to run toward danger and not away from it?  Is that desire to do battle an abnormal gene that needs to be purged from the collective?  On this day that we honor veterans these questions naturally come to mind.  Paul (inspired by the Holy Spirit) said in Romans 5 starting at verse 6 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

When I think of the men and women that did heroic deeds that ran toward danger to rescue those that were in need I cannot help but to be drawn to this passage.  How often in the stories of these heroes so we see them stopping just short of the rescue and asking if the person in need is a good person?  Is there ever any thought in that moment that the person that needed saving might not be worth saving at all.  For us that are bound by time and cannot see what God sees I can say that I know of no one that would do that.  God however, not bound by time, looked down through he ages and noted that all were not worthy but He sent His son anyway. 

Another way to look at this is that God released His Son Jesus to run into the breach guns of salvation blazing ready to and willing to die so that His bride to be would be safe.  I love a good story of a grand hero.  I have sat side by side with men and women that have served that I would call heroes in an instant but all of them would tell you that they were not a hero.  Their humility and willingness to sacrifice themselves for people that most likely are not worthy of the sacrifice is truly inspiring.  There is a verse that or two that comes to mind when talking about this subject.  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12) and; “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, and they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated of whom the world was not worthy wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” 

So to all those that have served, both living and dead I can tell you this that while we that you fought for, we that some have paid the ultimate price, we who may not be worthy… WE THANK YOU!