I am a pastor. And I am a US Army Reserve chaplain. And tonight the two of those roles came together with one call. A father of a young Marine, who has been on two tours in Iraq, and who is now stationed stateside, is having problems. He is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He needs help and now. I meant tonight. His father and mother are not members of our church, but have been visiting. They reached out to me, and I thank God for that, tonight. I got involved, made a call to a duty desk at the Marine’s unit, and they were thoroughly professional and, maybe you will be surprised at this, compassionate. They got right on it.
Friends, we are still in a war. These brave young men on the front lines are now joining their fathers from the Gulf War and Vietnam, and their grandfathers from World War II and are having to learn how to live with the Hell of war on this side of the battle. We ought to be there for them. And one way is to search out a soldier, a sailor, an airman or a Marine, and lift their names before the Lord.