In March of 1836, 187 men—men of vision and dedication—suddenly found
themselves facing circumstances that would require their personal
sacrifice for a greater cause. This small band of men fighting in the
Texas War of Independence against Mexico found themselves defending the
Alamo Mission near San Antonio, Texas, against almost 2,400 soldiers of
the Mexican Army.
“Remember the Alamo” is a hallmark in American history—not because the United States won, but because it lost. Those men are remembered for their courage and self-sacrifice. The initial outcome was not what they would have wished for, certainly, but their deaths, though bittersweet, helped to unify a territory and strengthen a nation.
And so it is with God's people. All of us, no doubt, have prayed fervently, repeatedly and even fasted for the healing of friends or extended family members only to have the outcome not be what we had hoped. We have known people who have succumbed to disease who maintained an incredibly positive attitude—a selflessness and a courage that were truly inspiring. They lost the battle, but we remember the fight. We are impacted by the personal loss; we are empowered by the example. What we gain from them is a legacy of courage and faith.
When we respond out of compassion in prayer, we are people unified in a common cause. We are beseeching God for intervention and healing. But what about our faith when the battle, that tenacity for physical life, has been lost? The bulwark of their faith must be ours too—God's will is perfect. That is the bottom line. Maybe we try too hard to understand why when all we really need to know is that God's will is perfect.
The apostle Paul, while imprisoned, wrote to the Philippians a letter filled with encouragement and love for them and gratitude to God and Christ for the opportunity to serve. His life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries. Neither were the lives of those recorded in Hebrews 11, the examples of extreme courage and faith. Ultimately, we understand that though the battle may be lost, we can win the war.
That hallmark in American history—the Alamo—is not just a lesson in history. It is a lesson in how to live and perhaps how to die. Paul recounted in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he had fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith. We should do no less! UN
“Remember the Alamo” is a hallmark in American history—not because the United States won, but because it lost. Those men are remembered for their courage and self-sacrifice. The initial outcome was not what they would have wished for, certainly, but their deaths, though bittersweet, helped to unify a territory and strengthen a nation.
And so it is with God's people. All of us, no doubt, have prayed fervently, repeatedly and even fasted for the healing of friends or extended family members only to have the outcome not be what we had hoped. We have known people who have succumbed to disease who maintained an incredibly positive attitude—a selflessness and a courage that were truly inspiring. They lost the battle, but we remember the fight. We are impacted by the personal loss; we are empowered by the example. What we gain from them is a legacy of courage and faith.
When we respond out of compassion in prayer, we are people unified in a common cause. We are beseeching God for intervention and healing. But what about our faith when the battle, that tenacity for physical life, has been lost? The bulwark of their faith must be ours too—God's will is perfect. That is the bottom line. Maybe we try too hard to understand why when all we really need to know is that God's will is perfect.
The apostle Paul, while imprisoned, wrote to the Philippians a letter filled with encouragement and love for them and gratitude to God and Christ for the opportunity to serve. His life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries. Neither were the lives of those recorded in Hebrews 11, the examples of extreme courage and faith. Ultimately, we understand that though the battle may be lost, we can win the war.
That hallmark in American history—the Alamo—is not just a lesson in history. It is a lesson in how to live and perhaps how to die. Paul recounted in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he had fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith. We should do no less! UN
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