No Turning Back

At this time of year Remembrance Day causes us to reflect on the bravery of soldiers as well as the ugliness of war. In Scripture, life itself is often likened to a battle. The following accounts apply to those times when life feels like a war going on inside of us.

In the momentous battle of Waterloo Napolean’s army captured a highland piper. Intrigued by the determined attitude of the prisoner Napolean asked him to play a tune for them. He did. Play a march. He did. Play a retreat. “Nay, nay,” replied the highlander, “that I cannot do. I never learned to play one.”

General Washington and his army crossed a bridge at Brandywine Creek during the Revolutionary War. “General, shall we burn the bridge or leave it there?” asked one of his men. “We might need it to make good a retreat.” “Burn it”, was the reply, “we’ll have victory or death. There will be no retreat.”

While there is wisdom in some forms of retreat during ordinary life we also know that when it comes to the goal of our Christian life, the Lord will give us strength to keep moving forward.

Stay with it – it’s sunny up ahead,

Henry Wiebe