[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fhonoring-the-valiant":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fhonoring-the-valiant-surround":62},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":13,"columnName":44,"date":45,"description":19,"extension":46,"image":47,"meta":48,"minRead":49,"navigation":50,"path":51,"postType":52,"publication":53,"publicationUrl":47,"seo":54,"stem":55,"topics":56,"__hash__":61},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fhonoring-the-valiant.md","Honoring the Valiant",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12],"1 Chronicles","Mark","Ephesians","2 Timothy",{"type":14,"value":15,"toc":40},"minimark",[16,20,23,26,34,37],[17,18,19],"p",{},"Recently I attended a 90th birthday party for Les Cheesman, a long-time member of our church. At 90 Les still has thick wavy hair and a quick wit. (When I asked him for some wise advice based on his years of experience, he quipped, “Don’t fry bacon naked!”) Les knows how to make people feel loved. He’s a master of the warm greeting. More precisely, he’s the master of the bear-hug. When you encounter Les at the church door, he doesn’t settle for a meek “hello.” He embraces you with both arms and presses his face against yours. Remember the time Jesus encountered the rich young ruler? The Bible says “Jesus looked at him and loved him” (Mark 10:21), conveying holy affection for the young man simply by a look. Les’s hugs are like that. When 90-year-old Les embraces you in his still-strong arms and his whiskers rub against your cheek, you sense God’s love. There’s more to the story, though. Les is a decorated military veteran. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, doing tours of duty in the South Pacific. His military resume is a profile in courage. He served at Guadalcanal and participated in liberation of The Philippines. In recognition of his sacrifice and bravery, he received two Purple Hearts.",[17,21,22],{},"After the war Les returned home, became an insurance agent for State Farm, served as an elder in our church, and raised a family with his wife Mary. They were married 64 years before she died. You can find Les in the church lobby every Sunday, offering those friendly bear-hugs. Trained for Battle",[17,24,25],{},"With brutal accuracy, the pages of the Old Testament tell story after story about violence and warfare. Human history is tainted by sin and stained with bloodshed, but from the ashes of battle, heroes emerge. First Chronicles chapter 5 describes one group of warriors who fought valiantly for Israel: “The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle” (v. 18). The apostle Paul knew a lot of soldiers, and he used their vocation to illustrate spiritual truths. “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus,” he wrote (2 Timothy 2:3). Why is the soldier such an appropriate analogy for the Christian life?",[17,27,28,29,33],{},"Soldiers prepare. They are “trained for battle” (1 Chronicles 5:18). Likewise, followers of Christ must be ready to defend our faith (1 Peter 3:15). Soldiers are armed. Israel’s warriors used shields, swords, and bows. We put on the “full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-17). Soldiers trust—at least the wise ones do. Israel’s soldiers “cried out to him ",[30,31,32],"span",{},"God"," during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him” (1 Chronicles 5:20). There’s an old saying: “If you would learn to pray, then go to sea.” Generations of military members have learned to rely on God when they found themselves in harm’s way on European beaches and South Pacific islands, in Vietnamese swamps and Middle Eastern deserts, in the cramped confines of a submarine or helicopter, or in the icy loneliness of a frigid Arctic outpost.",[17,35,36],{},"If you know any men or women who have made sacrifices like these for the sake of God and country, tell them “thank you.” But watch out. Some of them are expert bear-huggers.",[17,38,39],{},"QUESTIONS:",{"title":41,"searchDepth":42,"depth":42,"links":43},"",2,[],"Revealed and Relevant","2015-07-05","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fhonoring-the-valiant","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":19},"articles\u002Fhonoring-the-valiant",[57,58,59,60],"Biblical Theology","Church Leadership","Spiritual Formation","Perseverance in Suffering","mMegLGaceXpYZYzsrkMYYKM4xtaTDFeCv-glSGOSo8s",[63,68],{"title":64,"path":65,"stem":66,"description":67,"children":-1},"Honoring God by Working Well","\u002Farticles\u002Fhonoring-god-by-working-well","articles\u002Fhonoring-god-by-working-well","Someone sent me a list of the “best things to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk.” The suggestions include:",{"title":69,"path":70,"stem":71,"description":72,"children":-1},"Hope for Today's Teenagers","\u002Farticles\u002Fhope-for-today-s-teenagers","articles\u002Fhope-for-today-s-teenagers","Category: Youth"]