To Our Military Christians
Deployed to War Zones
Keith Sharp
You are in my prayers daily. I am thankful for your dedication to civil freedom and your willingness to defend America with your life against tose who hate us and our freedoms. I am very concerned for your safety. And I am just as concerned for your spiritual welfare.
You are in harms way because you chose to join the U.S. military. But maybe you didn't realize some spiritual dangers that go with that choice (and maybe you did). Regardless, they are realities.
As a Christian you find yourself far more isolated than your buddies in a place that is even more hostile to your spiritual welfare than it is to your physical. Well armed, determined, clever enemies plot devious ways to kill you, but your comrades protect you, even as you do them. But both your military enemies and friends oppose the moral values taught by Jesus Christ. And your confession of faith in and loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ must take priority over your oath of allegiance to the American flag. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
Your military enemies violently oppose your faith. The temptation they pose is to cause your to become like them but in opposition to them, to hate and to kill through hatred. The Military Code forbids wanton violence, but, more importantly, you are a disciple of Jesus, who teaches: You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).
You have the right to serve as a soldier and to use lawful, deadly force when necessary (Romans 13:3-4), but you cannot allow war to reduce you to a hate filled butcher.
But your friends, the ones you depend on and are around 24-7, constantly wear on you with their filthy mouths, drinking, gambling, etc. They view themselves as warriors and delight in talking and behaving in just that manner. They don't like or trust a comrade who doesn't. You can go along and have friends or you can be totally isolated. You must choose to maintain moral purity regardless of the cost. "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Ephesians 5:11, English Standard Version).
Remember, you joined the military voluntarily. You weren't drafted as happened to the Vietnam veterans of my generation. In reality, you chose to be in your situation.
A young man of many centuries ago was forced very unwillingly into an even tougher situation. In 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (in modern Iraq), conquered Judah (Daniel 1:1-2). The king took hostages to Babylon from among the young men of royal and noble families and proposed to educate them as Babylonian wise men to join his board of advisors (verses 3-5).
One of these young men was Daniel (verse 6). Nebuchadnezzar had Daniel's name changed to "Belteshazzar," to symbolize that Daniel's allegiance was no longer to Jehovah, the God of the Jews, but to Bel, the chief god of Babylon (verse 7).
I know you miss your family, and perhaps you resent being apart from them. So far as we know, Daniel never saw his family again.
"The king appointed for" Daniel and the other youn men "a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank" (verse 5). Cool! I'm gonna eat like royalty! Not so fast. Apparently this included unclean food, which the Lord forbade Jews to eat (Leviticus chapter 11; Deuteronomy 14:2-21). soDaniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself (Daniel 1:8) Here is the key to Daniel's life. "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself." Before you even leave for deployment, purpose in your heart you will not defile yourself.
He didn't make a scene or become rebellious. He just requested of his commanding officer an alternate diet. The Lord doesn't call on you to rebel against those over you. Just the opposite, you should submit to those over you in all that is right. "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh" (1 Peter 2:18).
The officer liked Daniel (verse 9), but he was afraid of what his commander, the king, would do to him if he changed Daniel's diet (verse 10). Without engaging in or approving sinful words and acts, do your best to get along (Romans 12:18).
Daniel had three friends who joined with him in serving God and being different (verses 6-7, 11-14). You need to seek friends in your deployment who are also dedicated Christians to mutually encourage one another to faithfulness (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Because Daniel and his friends purposed to serve the Lord, the Lord was with them and gave them success (verses 15-20). If you will purpose to serve the Lord throughout your deployment, the Lord will be with you to protect you both spiritually and physically. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).
Much later in his life, when the Persians (Iranians) ruled Babylon and Daniel was a Persian official, Daniel set himself apart from the other officials by his excellent attitude (Daniel 6:1-3). Daniel's jealous enemies "could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful" (verse 4). This is the way your military service should be.
Daniel's enemies decided, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God" (verse 5). They knew he prayed regularly, so they persuaded the king to pass a law that for thirty days anyone who prayed to any god other than the king would be thrown into a den of lions (verses 6-9)Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows opened toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days (verse 10). You probably know the story of Daniel in the lions' den. The Lord not only delivered Daniel, his enemies perished in the very den of lions in which they sought to have Daniel killed.
During your deployment, and at all other times, be a soldier in whom those who are jealous of your accomplishments can find no fault except in your determination to serve God. Let prayer be a chief characteristic of your life.
Daniel knew the Word of God. When the seventy years of the Jews' captivity was fulfilled, Daniel knew from the prophecy of Jeremiah that it was time for their restoration to the land (Daniel 9:1-2; Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Daniel prayed a remarkable prayer for the restoration of Israel (verses 3-19), which included references to Old Testament passages. During your deployment, study your Bible regularly as a guard against falling away (Hosea 4:6).
Daniel was such a good man, that when his fellow captive Ezekiel wanted to name the three most righteous men, he thought of "Noah, Daniel, and Job" (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). But Noah got drunk, and Job challenged God's righteousness. But no sin of Daniel is ever recorded. He stands alone as a man of righteousness though he was a captive hostage in a foreign, pagan land. In your deployment, be a Daniel.
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