My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it.  My marks and scars I carry with me, to be witness for men, that I have fought his battles who now will be my rewarder.”
              –John Bunyan (Pilgrim’s Progress)

    “He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.”
              –Isaiah 2:4 (NKJV)
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         “That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
          Let him depart; his passport shall be made
          And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
          We would not die in that man’s company
          That fears his fellowship to die with us.
          ….
          This day is call’d the feast of Crispian:
          He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
          Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
          And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
          He that shall live this day, and see old age,
          Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
          And say, ‘Tomorrow is Saint Crispian’:
          Then will strip his sleeve and show his scars,
          And say, ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
          ….
          We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
          For he today that sheds his blood with me
          Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
          This day shall gentle his condition:
          And gentlemen in England now a-bed
          Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
          And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
          That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”
                     –William Shakespeare (Henry V)

Perhaps the above should be kept for Veterans Day, for Memorial Day is a day to remember the fallen.  I’ve read several post on facebook, “don’t tell me to celebrate this day”, saying that it is for the fallen, therefore, a time of sorrow, remembrance, and tears.  But when I look at the above words, those who continue to live, those who did not fall will stand, show their scars and remember.  It may be with a cheer, it may be with a tear.  It may be leaning against a “wall”, it may be looking at a picture–but it will be a time of remembrance.
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               Last Full Measure of Devotion
          “In the long and honored history of America
           There are names that shine like beacons in the night
           The Patriots whose vision gave us meaning
           Who kept the lamp of freedom burning bright.
           In the long and honored history of America
           There are those that paid the last and final price
           Who were called upon by chance, or desperate circumstance
           To make the ultimate sacrifice.
           A grateful nations bows it head in sorrow
           And in thanks for guaranteeing our tomorrow
           The last full measure of devotion
           That’s what they gave to the cause
           The last full measure of devotion
           And though they cannot hear our applause;
           We honor them forever and keep alive their story
           Pay tribute to their lives and give them all the glory
           The last full measure of devotion
           Beyond the call of duty were their deeds
           The last full measure of devotion,
           They gave themselves to serve the greater need.
           And for those who did survive
           And came back home alive
           They join in praise of comrades who were slain
           And highly resolved, most higly resolved
           That these dead shall not have died in vain.”
                     –Larry Grossman

These were the simplest things in life, but none of them were free.  A man had to earn them by sweat and hunger and fatigue.  That was why they were good.”
               –Ernest Haycox  (The Border Legion)

     “He who keeps the commandments keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.”
               –Proverbs 19:16 (NKJV)
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This is the beginning of the Memorial weekend.  It is on Memorial Day that we remember the fallen; those who gave their all in the service of their country.  I was debating on what to write when I came across a poem. 

                   The Soldier Has Come Home
                     
                      Lay the green sod on me
                      carve my name in stone,
                      lay the green sod on me
                      the soldier has come home.

                      Don’t mourn for me, my darling
                      don’t cry when I am gone.
                      Don’t mourn for me, my darling
                      the soldier will come home.

                      My friends have gone before me
                      and laid their tired bodies down.
                      My friends have gone before me
                      to prepare the resting ground.

                      Let me go to sleep now,
                      to march and fight no more.
                      Let me go to sleep now
                      I’m tired, my body’s sore.

                      So lay the green sod on me
                      put the wreath upon my stone
                      lay the green sod on me
                      the soldier has come home.
                             –Barry Sadler
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I don’t have a real problem with the picnics and the barbeques, as long as there is time to remember those who sacrificed their lives so that we can have those special times.  I had an uncle die in Vietnam and a cousin give his life on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.  Others served, not having to give the ultimate sacrifice, but as the slogan well states:  “All Gave Some–Some Gave All.”
     It riles me to no end to see our military mocked.  There is bitterness inside me when I see pseudo-politicians sneer at the Constitution, and gloat in their positions of power.  Let me stop there, for you–some of you understand what I mean.  In closing today, I want to leave you with a poem by our most decorated combat soldier, Audie Murphy.  It was written sometime in the late 1940s.

                              Alone And Far Removed

                       Alone and far removed from earthly care
                       The noble ruins of men lie buried here.
                       You were strong men, good men
                       Endowed with youth and much the will to live.
                       I hear no protest from the mute lips of the dead.
                       They rest:  there is no more to give.

                       So long my comrades,
                       Sleep ye where you fell upon the field.
                       But tread softly please
                       March O’er my heart with ease.
                       March on and on,
                       But to God alone we kneel.
        
Sometime today, get alone and have a time of silence.  Remember the fallen, remember their sacrifice, then turn your eyes toward heaven and thank God for them.
 

He was one of those quietly efficient men who always did more than his job demanded or than its payscale justified.”
               –Elmer Kelton  (The Man Who Rode Midnight)

     “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
               –Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)
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One of my favorite writers is Fenelon (it seems as if I have lots of favorite writers).  Fenelon was bishop in France in Louis XIV’s court.  There is a quotation of his that I want to ponder more closely today.

          “When we are really abandoned to God, all that we do we do well, without doing many things.”

Yesterday I wrote about sharing secrets with God and Him sharing secrets with us.  When we get to that point we have found not only friendship, but true worship.  But the question is, do we really want to be that intimate with God?  Fenelon is saying the same thing.  To be truly connected with God we will do our best in everything.  We will not just get by, things will not be haphazard in our lives, we will not live a mediocre lifestyle.
     Many times I have written that worship is not only music!  I emphasize that again.  Music can be a form of worship, but true worship is abandoning ourselves to God.  True worship is a lifestyle, not a feeling.  A question is then, if you don’t “feel” anything can you worship?  See, emotions and feelings are not worship.  They may come from time-to-time when a person does worship, but don’t mistake them for worship. 
     Worship is relative to life.  A person who really understands what worship is will worship while doing dishes in the kitchen.  They will worship while driving down the road and are cut off.  They will worship in all legitimate activities of life for they have done everything with purpose and unto the Lord.  We don’t give Him mediocre work, that is not true worship. (see, Colossians 3:17,23).  Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24, NKJV).  Truth here means reality.  In the midst of the virus worship, for that is reality right now.  Worship then is obedience, worship is service, worship is loving God with all our mind, our soul, our will.  Yes, and worship is adoring Him at the altar.
     Now to the second part of that quotation, “without doing many things.”  This in no way can mean a life of sloth and laziness.  The question becomes what is “many.”  That must be determined by the individual and it is constantly changing due to the “thing” and the time.  This is why prioritizing is so important.  Don’t get caught up doing “many things” or in other words “busy-work.”  When teaching leadership I would give the following when prioritizing:
          1)  urgent and important
          2)  urgent
          3)  important
          4)  busy work
          5)  useless work
The things that are urgent and important MUST be done!  However, do not neglect busywork.  For example, emptying the trash can might be busywork today, but if it is not emptied for a couple of weeks, it might become urgent and important.  A host of varmints may have invaded, and the aroma may have become atrocious.  In all of these categories we are not mediocre because of the category for we do all for the Lord.
     One more thought in regard to “many things.”  I cannot do the same things today that I was able to do thirty years ago.  I cannot do as many things as I did thirty years ago.  I have to be more select in the things I do, yet in those things do it unto the Lord.  Do not forget the words of Solomon, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NKJV).
 

We’ll face it then.  Nobody lives their life without having to face things from time to time.”
               –Louis L’Amour  (Hondo)

     “If that is our case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
               –Daniel 3:17-18 (NKJV)
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I have always enjoyed anything I’ve read by Phillips Brooks from little quotations, to poems, to his wonderful Christmas carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  He had a special knack of looking at things.  To my surprise and delight, Annie gave me a book of his sermons for my birthday.  Today I want to share with you something that I have pondered over for many years, and with the help of Brooks try to share with you.
     Are you good with secrets?  To whom do you share your secrets?  Some folks are just plain old blabbermouths, but guess what, even they have secrets hidden within them.  A person will not confide in another the deep secrets of their heart unless that person is someone they respect.  This goes both ways; you respect the person in whom you would confide because they have already shown respect for you.
     Take time to read Psalm 25:14, read it several times before going on to the rest of the morning’s thought.

          “The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” (NKJV)

The Lord has a secret; does He respect you enough to share it with you?  First of all do you want to share in the secrets of the Lord?  Some have delighted in this, others have run away.  God will give it to those He respects.  Phillips Brooks states, “Love without respect has lost the substance and the essence of itself…  You cannot love God unless you fear Him.”  This is one spiritual truth that the church has forgotten.  Hopping and swooning in a “worship service” is not necessarily showing the fear of the Lord, nor that you sincerely love Him.  This is familiarity.  People want a “pal” and it is in this “easy familiarity which God loses His secret.”  There is something missing when reverence is forgotten or removed.
     Abraham was a man in whom God shared His secrets (see Genesis 17 and 18).  He was a man who deeply loved God and greatly revered Him.  “Love deepens every hour, but reverence is always deepening with it, and to this ever-deepening reverence and love the nature and purposes of God are always opening.” (Brooks)  This love/reverence combination is why at times you will feel a great grieving when you see things happening amongst God’s people.
     Are you one who will refuse to hear the secrets of God?  Or will you cling close to Him?  To know His secrets you must spend time with Him, having serious talks.  You must read His Word, and there must be obedience.  “By true obedience understand what He is, and then the fearfulness of God, the greatness of His nature and His love will take possession of you, and in that atmosphere the secret of the Lord shall come to you and be with you.” (Brooks)
     Be a friend of God, seek Him, and He will share with you His marvelous secrets.