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Based on Revelation 7:9; 22:14

I’m currently listening to an audiobook entitled Blood in the Argonne: The “Lost Battalion” of World War I. It is the story of the 77th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces in France. The author, Alan Gaff, brings us alongside the men of this lost battalion, which was never lost and was not actually a battalion. What I found fascinating about this story was the diversity of this division: blue collar men from every ethnic background in New York City. Not all of these “Liberty Boys” spoke English or understood English, which makes it a marvel that these men were able to work together to form this division and then fight in combat. Communication in the context of war is a life and death necessity.

Another thing that struck me was when the author described the shock of the men of this division when they marched through France and saw men dressed in uniforms from a multitude of other countries—men from nations they had heard about but never dreamed they would meet much less fight alongside.

I saw in this picture of the diversity of the WWI war machine what the apostle John saw in his vision of heaven. In chapter 7 he saw “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (verse 9). And then in chapter 22 he saw that picture again and wrote: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city” (verse 14).

What the author of this book shares about the fighting forces in WWI and what the apostle John saw in heaven is this wonderful thing called diversity. God created one man and one woman, and from them came the nations of the world. One human race but with such variety and color and colorful cultures—all gifts from God to celebrate. This diversity of the human race is unified, because for those in heaven, they are wearing the same uniform: white robes. And they are waving palm branches, a picture of victory. What unifies the diversity of the human race is the fact that they are all standing before the Lamb—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. All nations, and that includes you and me.

But I see a contrast here too. The book Blood in the Argonne describes in horrid detail just that: the blood and guts, the nightmare and dirtiness of trench warfare. It is awful. It is sickening. It’s a picture of our lives here on earth, a world pounded and splintered by the effects of sin. It’s a picture of lives shattered by trauma, abuse, loneliness, loss, and moral injury—it’s a messy and dirty world.

But the apostle John sees the redemption of this world and our own lives when he hears Jesus say, “Blessed are those who wash their robes.” The paradox is that these robes, once filthy and dirty and stained from sin, are washed in the blood of the Lamb. The paradox is that from suffering and trauma and abuse and the death of the Lamb come peace and forgiveness and cleansing and a washing and life for you.

These white robes are Christ’s righteous living. These robes are Christ’s perfect blood, his innocent suffering and death, and his glorious resurrection, which he drapes over the shoulders of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language. He unifies them under a single banner: the palm branch, the victory over sin and death and grave, and under one commander-in-chief, the Lord Jesus.

The apostle John sees diversity and unity in Jesus’ kingdom, and that’s a good thing! Because he sees you in that vision of heaven. He sees me in that throng of tens of thousands. He sees others . . . people you know and work with and love, people you haven’t met yet, people who don’t look like you or sound like you, people with whom you get to share this good news: that God’s kingdom is for them, no matter their background. Their robes are washed, which means they get to walk through the gates of the city, the new Jerusalem, heaven itself, and eat from the tree of life and live forever!

We’re in the final Sunday of the season of Easter. What better time to bring someone who isn’t like you to hear the message that this diverse and unified kingdom is just for them, just as much as it is for you.

Prayer:

As our nation’s military sets up June as PTSD awareness month, help us to open our eyes and ears to listen to those who may be suffering in silence. Move us to sit with them in their darkness, and to listen and just be present. Open their hearts to be willing to receive help from professional counselors and to be receptive to the gospel message of hope through faith in Jesus Christ, who himself suffered trauma and endured and rose from the dead to redeem all things—yes, even minds and hearts hijacked by trauma. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Revelation 7:15-17; John 16:20-24

If you are able, save them a place inside you,

Be not ashamed to say you loved them,

And in that time when men decide, and feel safe,

(Written by MAJ Michael Davis O’Donnell, 01 January 1970, Dak To, Vietnam)

This is a poem one of my friends posted on social media with the picture of a headstone of one of his battle buddies killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Then he posted, “Until we dismount at Fiddler’s Green . . .”

I had to look it up because I wasn’t sure of the reference. Fiddler’s Green is a legendary afterlife for sailors but also for soldiers, particularly cavalrymen, who have used this name for the place you go after death. Fiddler’s Green is a gathering place for rugged professionals, a place of perpetual joy, where the fiddle plays incessantly, where dancers never tire. It’s a place where the weather is always fair and there is a constant supply of friends, family, food, and drink. A place of rest and reward for those who have served honorably.

It sounds a lot like a place the apostle John saw in his revelation of heaven: “They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’ ” (Revelation 7:15-17).

What John describes is a very real place with real people whose souls have been reunited with their resurrected bodies. They are with their Shepherd, Jesus, who, as the Lamb, laid down his life to redeem all from their sin and guilt, who rose from the dead to die no more, and whose resurrection gives us the sure hope of a resurrection from the dead. He will bring us to a place of perpetual joy, of friends and family members, of an abundance of food and drink, and, yes, there will be music and dancing.

Listen to what Jesus said to his disciples as he prepared them for his own death: “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:20-24).

Ask Jesus, the risen and living Lord, to give you proper perspective as you observe Memorial Day. Ask that your sorrow be turned to joy. Ask that your joy may be complete. Find that joy in the good news that Jesus is raised from the dead. Find that joy in the good news that he will raise your loved ones and friends and battle buddies who died in the Lord, never to die again, and we with them.

Until we dismount at Fiddler’s Green . . . until we walk with Jesus in heaven, my dear friends, find your joy in Christ’s resurrection from the dead this Memorial Day.

Prayer:

As memories go back to those who have died to preserve our liberties, make us grateful and humble that others would stand up, raise their right hand for us, serve, and die. Turn our sorrow into joy. Turn the hearts of those who grieve by the power of your resurrection. Use us to share that good news with those who are sad, so they may find their joy in you.

Make us diligent in our prayers for our country and her leaders. Guide them with your wisdom and counsel. Keep us as a nation at peace so that we may carry out our vocations in peace and safety. In your Son’s name, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Psalm 145:8,9

There is a two-mile stretch of the 405 in southern California where the city of Torrance honors a hometown hero. He ran in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and shook Adolf Hitler’s hand. But it wasn’t long until this man used those same Olympic-trained arms and legs to fight against the man whose hand he shook by enlisting in the United States military.

He famously survived multiple aircraft crashes. But one particular crash would change his life forever. He and his crew crashed in the waters of the Pacific, where they drifted for 47 days in shark-infested waters. They eventually landed on the Marshall Islands and were immediately captured by the Japanese. They brought him to a prisoner of war camp where this man was brutally tortured and abused, not just physically but also emotionally. He endured abuse for nearly two years by a particular prison guard who just seemed to have it out for Louis Zamperini.

After the war, Zamperini returned home to a hero’s welcome, but he struggled with post-traumatic stress and anger. He turned to alcoholism to quiet the demons, but it nearly ruined his life and his marriage . . . until he heard the gospel, the message of free forgiveness in Christ Jesus. This calmed his heart and soul.

Later in life Zamperini wrote a letter to the Japanese prison guard who had tormented him. In the letter, Zamperini forgave him. Such grace, compassion, love, patience, and mercy—not only for those who brought hardship on him but for himself—could only be found in the One who is full of grace, compassion, love, patience, and mercy: the Lord, the God of free and faithful love.

I’m guessing that for most of you, your experience in our nation’s military was not as extreme as the man who is honored on that two-mile stretch of the 405. But perhaps you served during Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan or with Special Operations Command and carried out clandestine missions around the world. You’ve seen some things and done some things. Maybe you were present when something bad happened, and to this day you are still trying to process it. You deal with anger and frustration. Maybe you deal with it through alcohol. Maybe your relationships are rocky because of it.

Or maybe you have been on the receiving end of someone who struggles with anger and trauma. You’ve endured the abuse and anger.

Perhaps there is despair in your heart. You’ve thought to yourself, I don’t see a way out of this. How can I reconcile with those I’ve hurt, with those who have hurt me? How do I reconcile with myself, and more importantly, with my God?

If you haven’t yet, I strongly encourage you to talk to your pastor. Talk to a Christian chaplain. Reach out to me. I am happy to listen. Reach out to our European chaplain. We also offer assistance with professional Christian counseling. I encourage you to talk to someone.

Today, I want you to take this with you. These are words from Psalm 145, written by King David, who himself was a combat veteran: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (verse 8). This is the kind of God you have, a gracious God. He shows love to you, love you and I do not deserve, but he loves us anyway.

He is a compassionate God. This word compassion in the Bible means that God’s stomach and heart churn inside of him when he sees your condition and the suffering of your soul, and he does something about it.

He is a God who is slow to anger. He is a patient, longsuffering God.

He is a God who is rich in love. This word for love means faithful love, steadfast love, dependable love.

All of these descriptors about God are true because of the name David uses for God: The LORD. This is the covenant God. Yahweh. The God who makes promises and loves even more to keep them.

If you still wonder, Is this for me? listen to what David writes next, “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (verse 9). All means all. All means you.

Yes, you have a God who is slow to anger and great in love. He is the LORD.

This is the same love and compassion and patience that led Louie Zamperini to know he was forgiven, the love and mercy that moved him to apologize and reconcile with those whom he had hurt, and to forgive and calm his anger toward those who hurt him.

Yes, this is the same God who is your God. He is the LORD—slow to anger and rich in love for you.

Prayer:

O God, you form the minds of your faithful people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that among the many changes of this world, our hearts may ever yearn for the lasting joys of heaven.

As our nation observes Armed Forces Day this third weekend in May, we offer prayers of thanksgiving to you, risen Savior, for all the men and women serving in our US military. Through all the branches of our Armed Forces, you protect and safeguard our citizen population, engage our enemies in combat, and provide humanitarian aid to those affected by natural disasters.

Keep the members of our military strong in their resolve and faithful to their vocation, and maintain esprit de corps among all the branches of our US military. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on John 10:27-30

Do you remember that drill instructor? You know the one. Even as I talk about him or her, there’s a strong emotion rolling inside of you. You might even say you hated him or her at the time. But now, with a smile on your face, you can say, “But we respected him. And I needed it at the time.”

Maybe it was that platoon leader, commander, first sergeant, captain, or even a general that you labored for. You remember that individual because they knew you by name. Then you moved on, perhaps up the ranks in promotion, or they changed command or eventually retired. But you know that if you called them up on the phone today, they would know you and call you by name.

That means something, doesn’t it, when someone knows you by name? They have a vested interest in you. You know them because they gave you something. What did they give you? Maybe they were an encourager, a mentor, a model, or an example for your vocation—not just as a warrior but for your marriage, your parenting, or as a single person, to remain faithful, to be a better friend.

In the past 20 years in my time spent with you, the military community, I’ve seen this. You’ve spoken about it and how much certain individuals mean to you. If you don’t have this or haven’t experienced it, that’s okay. Listen to what Jesus says to you today in John 10:27-30: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

That’s the voice of someone who is more than just a mentor, more than just an encourager, more than just a model or example. This is the voice of a shepherd speaking to his sheep. This is the voice of the Good Shepherd—your Good Shepherd.

For those times when it feels like no one really knows you or understands you, he does. He knows you by name. He put his name on you in your baptism. Your name is written in his book of life—he says that about you! He says that he wrote your name on the palms of his hands so that he always has your name before his eyes. He laid down his life for you only to take it up again, just for you. Yes, he knows you.

For those times when it feels like you’re slipping away from relationships with others for whatever reason . . . or that you’re slipping away from your Shepherd because you haven’t been faithful in listening to his voice . . . or your Bible is a little dusty . . . or the church doors haven’t seen your shadow cross them in a while . . . or your Shepherd hasn’t heard your voice in prayer in a hot minute, he promises, “I still know you. My Father has given you to me. I am not going to let anyone or anything snatch you out of my hand. My Father’s firm grip of grace will not let you go.”

He knows you. Listen to his voice so that you are constantly reminded of that comforting truth. He is your Good Shepherd. You are his sheep. He cares for you. He watches over you. He leads you to green pastures and quiet waters and there feeds your hungry soul and thirsting heart with his words of promise. He leads you through those dark valleys of life.

Listen to that voice of promise so that you know him. Go about your day, knowing that he knows you. Go to sleep tonight with this assurance: he knows you.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you are the source of life and wisdom and all good things. As we celebrate Military Spouses Day, we ask that you bless all military spouses with faithfulness, patience, and an unswerving trust in your promises to do what Jesus prayed for them.

As we look ahead to Mother’s Day, look with favor on all mothers who have given life to their children and who nurtured them with loving concern and faithful instruction. May their children honor them and call them blessed. When they become weary, sustain them with physical and spiritual rest. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on John 21:1-14

If you have lived in or around a military installation, you know the power of our military war machine. During my last 20 years as a pastor, I’ve lived near three military installations: Fort Knox, Ky.; an Air Reserve base in Atlanta; and here in San Diego. Miramar is right outside my window. The power of an Abrams M1A2 120mm round that shook our house. The power of a C-130 roaring overhead. I’ve sat behind a .50 machine gun mounted to the top of a Humvee at the range, and the power of that weapon pulsed through my body. I have a friend here in San Diego who texted me, “I almost drove off the road today watching the V22s flying overhead!” The power of our nation’s military is awesome.

When Jesus lived on earth as the God-man, he flexed his divinity from time to time. He healed those with incurable diseases. He provided food for 5,000 men, besides the women and children, with a few fish and loaves of bread. He cast demons out of those imprisoned by Satan. He raised the dead. But the most powerful display of his power was his own rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. No one has done that . . . raised their own body from the grave.

After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to his disciples to prove that his resurrection power was to benefit them. Some time after Easter Sunday, the disciples had gone fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They didn’t catch a thing all night. As the sun was peaking over the eastern hills, they started for shore and a man on the beach called out across the water, “Did you catch anything?”

“No, sir, not a single fish.”

“Cast your nets on the other side of the boat.”

Immediately the nets were so full of fish they threatened to sink the boats and threatened to break the nets, but they didn’t. John records that the nets were full of 153 large fish. I can’t help but imagine the disciples looking at each other and thinking, Hey, we’ve been here before. About three and a half years prior, Jesus performed a similar miracle. And now, here they were, sitting on the beach with their resurrected Lord Jesus, eating fish. The living Jesus opened their eyes to the power of his resurrection.

That same power is working for you and for your benefit. And I know you don’t always see it, and you don’t always feel it. I don’t either. Especially when finances are tight, and the future of our country is in question. Yet Jesus promises to use his power to provide daily bread for you.

When you feel lonely during deployment, he promises, “I am with you. I will provide others to be with you.”

When you are afraid, he promises, “I am your strength, your peace.” When others share these same feelings with you and you wonder what to say to them, you know they need Jesus. He is your confidence. Just say the words, his words, and watch the power of his words at work in your heart and in the hearts of others. You will say, “That was awesome!” That’s the power of the resurrected and living Lord Jesus in your life right now.

What I want you to do is this: Allow the power of our nation’s military to serve as a reminder of this truth. Every time you feel the power of the .50 on the range, the roar of the Blue Angels, an aircraft as it is jettisoned off the carrier, the artillery round or patriot missile going downrange, or the Abrams tank or Bradley or the V22s flying overhead, I want you to think of him who has all power, all authority, and who uses it for your good.

Then go to his Word and let the power of his words work on your heart and in the hearts of those you share it with. That resurrection power is for you right now.

Prayer:

On May 1 our nation paused to recognize Silver Star Banner Day. We thank you for those members of our military who have been awarded the Silver Star, for those who showed distinguished valor in combat. This day we also recognized the sacrifices of the ill, the wounded, and the dying service personnel and their family members.

Lord, thank you for those who have sacrificed so much for us and for our nation. For both those living and those who grieve the dead, grant them strength, patience, and reliance on you and your power for them. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on John 20:19-21

One of my well-loved high school teachers was called home to heaven recently. As I read his obituary, I was reminded that he had served honorably in our nation’s Air Force. He served as a crew member on the B-36, a mammoth aircraft capable of 40-hour flights, carrying a payload of 87,000 pounds of ordnance, and cruising at altitudes beyond the reach of most anti-aircraft guns.

Just the fact that the US Air Force had this aircraft was a warning to other near-peer competitors. The B-36, ironically known as the “Peacemaker,” would force peace through the dropping of bombs, to force the enemy to say, “We cannot endure this loss anymore! Let there be peace between us.”

Although the B-36 was rendered obsolete in 1959, the US Air Force, alongside the other branches of our US military, continues to produce aircraft capable of flying farther and higher and carrying ordnance to any country in the world where there is conflict. And we see conflict today. Some of you are in the middle of that conflict.

We also see conflict not just between nations but between friends, spouses, parents and children, siblings, and co-workers. There is even conflict within our own hearts and minds over the things we have done or left undone.

I started reading a book called Care for the Sorrowing Soul. The author addresses the often-overlooked moral injury suffered by those who have experienced combat. Moral injury occurs when combat reflexes go into automatic mode. The individual postpones their moral processing in that moment and just acts as they carry out the mission. Later, however, the individual’s conscience and heart and moral code recognize that perhaps what they did, what they saw and experienced, maybe even what they failed to do, violated their conscience, their heart, and their moral code. Soul sorrow. Conflict within. No peace.

Is that you? You’re not alone.

Jesus’ closest friends suffered this internal conflict and struggled to find peace. They weren’t engaged in physical combat in war. They struggled through spiritual warfare with the devil and their self-preserving, sinful selves. They abandoned, betrayed, and denied their Lord and Savior, someone they loved dearly! The guilt bore down on their hearts. They were terrified of what they were capable of.

And then Jesus appeared to his friends in the flesh. After they had witnessed the traumatic event of the torture, the crucifixion, the agonizing and painful death, and the finality of burial, now, on Sunday evening, Jesus stood before them alive! What would he say to them? His first words to them (and I picture them accompanied by a warm smile) were, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19).

Peace—not a hopeful thought from a well-wisher, not a feeling, not peace won by giving them something to do to atone for their sins, not peace earned through acts of penance. This peace had nothing to do with them. This same peace from Jesus has nothing to do with you or anything you must do. Simply open your ears to hear those words for yourself: “Peace be with you!”

Jesus spoke peace because that was reality for his disciples. Whether they felt it or not, whether it would take days, weeks, or months for it to sink in—the reality was that they were at peace because God was at peace with them. Whatever they had done—the abandonment, the denial, the hiding, the fear—it was all forgiven, all pardoned, all washed clean by Jesus’ blood. It was all buried in his tomb, because he went to the cross for them.

Yes, there was peace between God and them. They could now have peace with each other for whatever accusatory thoughts they had against each other. They could now have peace with themselves because they could say, “God is at peace with me. I will be at peace with myself and others.”

So it is true for you and me. Whatever it is you have done or failed to do—in combat, in training, in our homes, in our communities, in our churches—you are at peace. Jesus went to the cross for you, became the guilty one for you, and rose from the dead to prove that your guilt and failures and awful things you have done lie dead and buried in the tomb.

So be at peace with each other and be at peace with yourself, for God is at peace with you in Christ Jesus, your crucified and living Savior.

Prayer:

I ask that you comfort those who suffer and struggle with moral injury. Calm and still their hearts with the good news that you took their guilt on your soul and in your heart, so they might be free of guilt and free to live in the joy of forgiveness. In your name I pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Isaiah 49:16; Luke 23:42

I can usually pick you out or figure out who you are without even seeing you in uniform or wearing a baseball cap that says “Veteran” on it. Because you wear it. You wear it not in your emotions, but you literally wear it on your body—that black aluminum bracelet around your wrist. It tells me that you are someone who has served or is serving in our nation’s military, or you are a first responder. That memorial band around your wrist—engraved with names, ranks, and dates—is your way of honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty. It’s a way for you to remember their sacrifice so that you don’t forget.

There are some who, after a loved one or friend dies, will say things like, “They will live on in our memories.” But what happens when our memories fade and we forget? Do those people still live on? What happens when we die, and generations pass? Does this mean that this individual no longer lives on because most have forgotten them?

There is someone in history who, as he was dying, asked another individual to remember him. That’s a lot to put on someone as you are gasping for your final breath, considering that the one to whom he directed his request was also breathing his final breath! But this was no ordinary man he was asking. This was the King of heaven and earth, the God from eternity. He was dying a sinner’s death, dying to make death a thing of the past, dying to make life the new reality for those like that man who made the request to be remembered.

It is likely that most would remember that man as the one who brought chaos into their lives with his criminal activities. He was a man who died a broken, bloody, shameful mess, buried in an unmarked grave for criminals. Not many (if anyone!) would wear any kind of memorial bracelet to remember him.

But one person would remember him. That one person would grant his request: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). In his answer Jesus was saying to the dying man, “Yes, I will remember you! Because today you and I will die. Our bodies will die and the angels will escort our souls to heaven, and we will be together in paradise! I’ll have to leave you in the care of my Father in heaven while I redeposit my soul back into body and bring it back to life in three days. But I’ll be back with you in paradise in about 40 days after I ascend into heaven. Yes, I will remember you, and so will everyone who hears your story, because it is their story.”

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are the most important days on the Christian church year calendar. They assure us of this: God himself will not forget us but will remember us. After all, he gave us life. He called us by name in the waters of our baptism. He called us to a life in heaven. As he said through the words of Isaiah the prophet, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16)!

He remembers those souls whose names you have etched on your wrist. He won’t forget them. He remembers those whose remains rest in an urn or a box. He won’t forget them. They do not live on in our memories, because our memories fade and we die. But for those who die in Jesus, they live on because they live in Christ and in his death and resurrection.

And so, when you die and when I die, eventually we will be forgotten as generations pass, but that’s okay! Because Jesus doesn’t forget. He will remember you as you draw your final breath and mutter, “Jesus, remember me . . .” And he will answer, “Today you will be with me in paradise. See! I have engraved your name on the palms of my hands. I can’t help but think of you when I see the scars on the hands of my exalted, resurrected body. I had you in mind when I hung on the cross and when I rose again from the dead. When I send my angels to gather you on the Last Day, you won’t be forgotten.”

This is our joy and confidence, our hope and comfort this Easter weekend and every day. Say it with confidence: “Jesus, remember me.” And then listen as he responds to you: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

Prayer:

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

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Based on Luke 19:28-40

I received a text from a US Navy sailor who asked, “Chaplain Horn, could you please say a prayer today for my shipmates? They were underway and then out of the blue were told that their tour got extended by a handful of months. They are headed right into the thick of it in the Middle East.”

I reached out to one of our deployed US Army soldiers who is in Eastern Europe and asked, “How I can pray for you today?” He responded, “Pray for peace. The number of dead bodies in large-scale combat is not something we can fathom in our American minds.”

Earlier today I reached out to an Air Force National Guardsman who just deployed, asking how she was. She responded, “I just landed in country. I start my job tonight. Pray that my wing supports those who fly sorties, but I’m more concerned about my husband and infant son back home. Please pray for them.”

Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars. These are the things that keep us up at night and cause anxiety, and the reason our prayer lists do not diminish but seem to always increase. It feels that this is ever-present in our life. And it is. It’s because of the presence of sin in a broken world. Some have asked, “Is it proper for us to pray for peace? Will it actually happen on this earth? Is this something that our King in heaven can actually bring about?”

This coming Sunday you will hear about this King, on the Sunday we call Palm Sunday, or Sunday of the Passion. You will most likely hear the story of Jesus as he rides into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. The disciples and the crowds of people cut down branches from the trees and lay them down in the dirt road to show respect for a king as he comes into his city. They shout, “Hosanna!” We hear this ancient word all the way back in the psalms. It’s a cry to the Lord that says, “Save us!” And that’s exactly what the King comes to do. He rides into Jerusalem to save—to save by going to war.

He goes to war against all that keeps us up at night, against all that makes us anxious. He goes to war against war itself. He goes to war with death and grave. He goes to war against the devil and his forces of evil, who use war and anxiety and fear and frustration to cast doubt in our minds that our King can truly save us. He goes to war by sitting atop a donkey, amid the cheers of “Hosanna!” He goes and he does just that: He saves.

He saves not with Tomahawk missiles but in meekness. He saves not with a show of force but in weakness. He wins by way of a cross and a tomb. Not much of a military strategist, is he? But he wins but stomping on the head of the devil, crushing death by rising from his tomb.

With this victory, no more can Satan cast doubt in our hearts about this King, for he has done what he said he would do. No more can death and grave scare us into submission. For this King lives and lives to give us the sure confidence of life eternal. This King saves. This King restores all things, and he does this for you.

Whatever keeps you up at night, whatever causes you to feel anxious, be at peace. Know that Jesus came to save you, your loved ones, and your battle buddies—to save them from all that might frighten us.

As for that for peace, the answer is, “Yes.” When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us our daily bread,” part of that prayer includes peace for the nations. When there is peace, when there is good government, there is safety. When there is peace and safety there is the ability to earn our daily bread in our varied vocations. Peace helps us love and serve our neighbor. Even in wartime and disaster, there is certainly opportunity for us to love and serve our neighbor.

Let us pray for peace, and pray that our hearts may be at peace, knowing and believing and trusting that this King saves. He saves us now and for eternity.

Prayer:

We praise you, O God, for the great acts of love by which you have redeemed us and saved us through your Son, Jesus Christ. As he was acclaimed by those who scattered their garments and branches of palms in his path, so may we always hail him as our King and follow him with perfect confidence.

Keep safe all our nation’s warriors and those who support them. Bring peace to those areas of our world where there is conflict.

Continue to bless our nation’s Air Force Reserve, which celebrates its birthday on April 14. It is by your gracious hand, Lord, that since 1948 you have provided a combat-ready force for varied missions across the Air Force. Today, as these men and women deploy weather reconnaissance to keep our pilots safe and engage in modular aerial firefighting and Pararescue, keep them always ready to assure victory for our nation—anytime, anywhere, to “fly, fight, and win.” We ask this in your gracious name. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Watch the Devotion

Based on Philippians 3:7-14

I have a little collection of military memorabilia growing in my home office: challenge coins, a hand grenade, an American flag handcrafted out of wood, a .50 round, unit patches, military baseball caps, and coffee mugs. Each of these was a gift. Each one of these pieces tells a story. I can share with you who gifted me these pieces of military memorabilia and why they gifted them to me. They are some of my most prized possessions.

When I am invited into your homes—forgive me if I do this—I may snoop around. Those of you who have had me in your homes know that I do this. I love to look at all the military memorabilia you have displayed in your homes: the awards, the unique gifts, the creative ways you showcase each of the duty stations where you’ve lived. Each one of those pieces tells your story. I know these are some of your most prized possessions because you have them on display for all to see.

How would you feel if one day they were all gone . . . lost in a move; wiped away by a flood; destroyed by fire; or crushed by a tornado, hurricane, or cyclone? I know how I would feel. I would feel devastated.

The apostle Paul redirects our attention in his letter to the Christians in Philippi: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:7-10).

The apostle Paul had a lot to boast about. When you read the section immediately before this in Philippians chapter 3, he lists all of his accomplishments and successes. People would listen to him speak and say, “Wow! You really know a lot! You’ve accomplished a lot with your life!” But the apostle Paul said, “Yeah, I consider them all rubbish. I want to know Christ. I want to be found in him. His righteousness is mine. All the places I’ve been, all that I’ve accomplished, they’re garbage. I have Christ’s righteousness. So that when people look at me, they don’t see all of these things I’ve accomplished but rather they see that what Christ has accomplished for me and what he has accomplished through me is what’s most important in my life.”

Then Paul goes on to say this: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13,14).

Paul is saying, “Instead of fixing my eyes on these things, the things of this world, I fix my eyes on the eternal, not the temporal. For when I fix my eyes on the temporal, I forget about the eternal. I fix my eyes on my true treasure—that God, in Christ, has called me heavenward. That’s where I am going. That’s where I have eternal treasures. That’s my true treasure.”

God is not saying to us today to get rid of all our military memorabilia, the things we proudly display in our homes that showcase the places God has called us to serve and how he has called us to serve. But might there be a way to showcase Christ as our true treasure in our homes? Like a picture of Jesus, a cross, or a Bible verse to say to all who enter our homes, “This . . . this is my true treasure.”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as we celebrate the Month of the Military Child, we know you love children of all ages, for you told your disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Watch over children of military families. Comfort them when they are sad. Keep them safe when they must move. Help them find good friends. Remind them that you are always with them. In your name we pray. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Watch the Devotion

Based on Luke 15:1-3,11-32

He had recently run a new flag up the flagpole in his yard. Of course I was going to ask him about it, because it was a 101st Airborne flag that he now proudly flew. I discovered that he was a Vietnam veteran. I offered to treat him to coffee and said, “I would love to hear more about your story. I just want to understand more.” He obliged, so we went to coffee. He didn’t really say much about his time in Vietnam. The most he said was, “I did the job that I had to do, and then I came home. That’s about all I have to say about that.”

He clearly did not want to talk about what he had done or what he had seen. After he shared his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), I guessed that he had seen some stuff, experienced some things, and maybe done some things that he didn’t really want to share with me, and that was okay. I was fine with that.

There are many more like him that I have spoken to in my past 20+ years as a pastor. And now, in the last year and a half as a chaplain, I have heard from you, our nation’s warriors, who have done some things and seen some things. Some of you don’t really want to share.

Then there are others of you who have shared things with me—the things that you have done and the things that you have left undone. And what I can say is that there’s a lot of guilt out there.

The reason I bring this up is because the gospel reading for this coming Sunday is Luke chapter 15, where Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son. Maybe you’ve heard that story before and maybe you haven’t. I don’t want to assume anything, so here’s a quick recap:

Jesus told the story about a son who basically wished his father were dead because he had asked for his father’s inheritance. Beyond conventional reason, the father does this and says to his son, “Here you go. Here is your inheritance.” He split the inheritance up between his son and his brother.

The son then takes his inheritance and travels to a distant country and just completely blows it all on prostitutes, gambling, debauchery, and wild living until he has nothing. He hits rock bottom. He is homeless and jobless, and it’s just a bad situation. He says to himself, I have sinned against my God and my father. I will go home, and I will repent. I will ask my father for forgiveness. I’m going to say to him, “Make me like one of your hired servants. I don’t deserve to be your son anymore.”

But as he is walking home, as Jesus tells the story, the father is watching. He’s waiting for his son to come home. He sees his son in the distance and runs to his son and embraces him, even though the son smells awful and is gaunt and the clothes on his back are like tattered rags and his hair is unkempt.

The son launches into his repentance speech, but the father cuts him off and says, “You belong to this family.” He tells his servants to bring a robe and put a ring on his son’s finger and kill the fattened calf. We are going to have a party, the father says, because “this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:24).

Is that you? Do you feel like that prodigal son?

We use that term to describe this parable, but every time I teach this story, I ask people, “Do you know what prodigal means?” and most folks don’t. Prodigal means reckless spender. Of course, the son was a reckless spender. But the story is not about the son, is it? It’s about the father, the prodigal father, the reckless spender of his love. It’s about the fact that he would give his son his inheritance, first of all, but secondly, that he would welcome his son back as part of the family. So reckless was he with his love that he was willing to spend it all on his son because he loved him so much.

This is the story of you and me, isn’t it? It’s the story of those of you who don’t want to share with anybody else the things that you have done. It’s the story of those of you who have shared the things that you’ve done yet feel like that prodigal son, because you have recklessly spent your youth and your morals and your convictions or whatever it is that you have done. You have a prodigal Father. He welcomes you back because of your baptism, when he adopted you into his family. He promises that every time we repent and say to our Father, “I am sorry. I have sinned against heaven and against you,” the Father opens his arms and embraces us and kisses us and hugs us and says, “You are part of the family.”

The Father can say this because he is the reckless spender of his love. He doesn’t withhold anything. He offers up his most prized possession, his own Son, who suffers and bleeds and dies and takes your guilt and mine and nails it to the cross and puts it to death forever. He loves you so much that he does that for you. The Father loves you so much that he is the reckless spender who will say to you every time you come to him, “Yes, you are my son. You are my daughter. You are forgiven. You are part of my family, and the inheritance that I gave you, which is my Son and his life and death and resurrection and heaven itself—all of that is still yours.”

This is the kind of Father you have: a reckless spender of his love. So, my dear friends, go to him. Go to him in repentance. Go to him and find rest and hope and comfort, knowing that your Father is a reckless spender of his love for you.

Prayer:

Lord God, this March 29th our nation pauses to recognize Vietnam War Veterans Day. As we look back to this war, we are reminded of what a horrible thing war is. You know those who carry heavy burdens because of friends lost, friends who still suffer silently, and those who still suffer from moral injuries and physical and spiritual pain. Use us to lead them to Jesus, who bears their burdens, who forgives their sins, and who brings everlasting hope. Amen.

Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.