Facing Uncertain Days

Growing up I spent literally hundreds of hours pouring over stories of the World War II era. My grandparents owned the complete collection of books published by Reminisce magazine, and I had the tales from We Pulled Together and Won memorized. Victory gardens, metal scrap drives, and grocery shopping with ration stamps became familiar terms to me. The stories of war time romances and putting a gold star in the window to show a soldier had been lost moved me to tears. Though the people in the photographs were long gone, I had a glimpse into their lives, and shared the joys and triumphs of a nation pulling together during times of war.

Thinking of those tales today brings me to tears because our nation once again faces war. The stories have lost the glamour and fascination they once held for me, for the stories told to the next generation won’t be about unknown families, but of the people around me, whom I know and love.

Unlike the Gulf War, of which I have vague memories, the soldiers shipping out for Iraq this time aren’t just masses of men in khaki. They have names and faces, because I have friends in each branch of our armed forces. Unconsciously I search each article for Mike, Tommy, Nate, or Micah. And when the latest group of reserve troops is called up, I think of Derick, Andrew, and Jack—were they among the list?

I’ve seen William, Robert, James, Craig, Brian, and Merritt in camouflage carrying guns to go hunting countless times. But in the future they may be marching off to hunt those who will fight back. For I know that if our homeland is attacked, my patriotic friends and family will join up to defend our freedom.

And if they should reinstitute the draft, it might be I and my friends who are required to join in the fight. Though I loved to imagine I was a WWII W.A.S.P. (Woman Air Force Service Pilot) when I was young, I don’t pretend to like the idea of women fighting. But my friends Shannon and Andria are proudly serving their country in the Air Force. And since I believe it is right and just to defend our country, I may be required to join them someday.

Initially, these thoughts fill me with fear. But at the same time, I realize that it is not Saddam Hussein who controls the world and its fate: it is Almighty God. While it makes my heart ache to think of my loved ones being in danger’s way, I will not give way to fear. Having friends in the fight makes it easier to pray specifically. A sparrow cannot fall to the ground without God’s knowledge, so I know that He is caring for my loved ones.

Facing the unknowns of tomorrow in a nation on the brink of war is sobering, but because we know that Christ will triumph in the end, I need have no fear. I am so thankful that I have the peace that trusting in God gives. But my heart breaks to think of soldiers shipping off to battle without the peace of God in their hearts, and thus my prayers for those unknown faces increase.
As I poured over those WWII photos and stories as a child, I remember coming to the last page of We Pulled Together and Won: it pictured a family around the table with heads bowed in prayer. Their soldier had returned home, and they were thanking the Lord. Just like that family did so many years ago, we can put our trust in the Lord. As the hymn says, because He lives all fear is gone; I can face uncertain days because Christ lives.