We Are Christian Soldiers: Spiritual Lessons We Can Learn From D-Day

On June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces launched the largest amphibious attacks in World History. It was the turning point that will decide who will win World War II. At exactly 6:30 am, Tuesday, more than 160,000 combined troops of the Allied Forces engaged in the battle in Normandy Beach.

We are Christian soldiers in a battle.
We are Christian soldiers in a battle.

During the first three hours of the battle, it seemed to be a sure win for the Germans. With the Allied Forces in a disadvantageous position, their number began to shrink. Upon landing, they had to cross about 300 feet of beach to get to the German bunker where a machine gun, which can fire 15 bullets per second, was waiting for them.

From the sea alone, they were barraged with thousands of bullets. Even getting out from their sea vessel was incredibly impossible without getting hit by a single bullet.

Soldiers were suffering from sea sickness brought about by the rough sea waves. Soldiers who realized that getting out from their sea vessel through the door will mean a quick death, they instinctively decided to jump at the side of the boat – which they are strictly told never to do.

Because of their heavy equipment, they go straight down the water and into the sea bed. Trying desperately to come out of the water, there were more than a hundred who died just because of drowning.

Next, those who made it to the seashore served as sitting ducks for the German machine gunners and snipers. Imagine running through the open sea shore with thousands of bullets flying through the air. It was only a matter of seconds before a soldier will be hit by a single bullet.

Three hours later, the water was beginning to rise. High tide was beginning to be a problem for the soldiers. Slowly but surely, they were being squeezed between the water and the German bunkers.

As seconds passed by, more and more bodies are beginning to show the cruelty of war. The seawater turned red as soldiers were wounded and killed.

No one exactly knows how many people died on that fateful day. It is estimated that over 12,000 allied forces and 4000 Germans died that day. But recent research shows that there was a combined death toll of 425,000 soldiers from both sides.

That’s more than 400 thousand people who spilled their blood on that cold morning on the Normandy beach.

After World War 2, there are over 70 million people lost their lives in this bloody war.

D-day omaha beach
Landing ships putting cargo ashore on Omaha Beach, at low tide during the first days of the operation.

As Christians, what should we learn from D-Day?

It is important to realize that we are also called to be Christian Soldiers.

II Timothy 2:3-4 you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Those soldiers who went to that battle had been called to die for their country. Even from the time they were enlisted, most people must have felt the fear and anxiety of being a soldier. They might have made excuses and even deliberately escaped from their duty to their country.

They were called but never made it to the battlefield. They are like the people who receive the seed by the wayside and in the stony places. They did not have roots in themselves.

A majority of soldiers drafted into the army were only in their early 20s. In fact, the average age of those who went to Normandy Beach is 22. It might be really hard for these young men to leave their normal life living as young adults full of ambitions and dreams.

For those who ever made it to the battlefield, they made it to Normandy beach where the real battle began. They went there with the strongest zeal to die for their country.

But unfortunately, most of them did not make it to the cliffs to overcome the enemy.

It is never easy to be a Christian soldier.

We must be fully committed to following God’s commands and never waiver in our posts. Being a Christian soldier never stops from leaving the camp or the battlefield.

We have to be a soldier 24 hours a day and 7 days a week!

We should never take a break and ask for a leave. It never worked that way. Once we entered that watery grave and come out in a new life, we are never the same again.

We have become already a CHRISTIAN SOLDIER!

While we are on the battlefield, all we have in mind is to survive.

This is equivalent to gaining eternal life.

When we are on the battlefield, we do not care anymore about the NBA games, we do not care about our jobs or our pets. We do not care about our grades in school. We do not care about what we should wear or about our car, house, and any other possession.

All we care about is to survive the war! That is exactly what our attitude should be like!

All we care enough is to follow God’s commands and directives and trust Him that what He is asking of us is for our own good and for our character development.

So how bad do you like to be in God’s Kingdom?

Will you be willing to give up everything for that precious pearl of great price?

Matthew 19:29-30And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Indeed, when we give up everything, God will supply what we need to survive the battle. Following God is never easy but it is not impossible.

With God’s help, we will reign victorious!

Though we may lose something and be last in this lifetime, we are assured to be the first in God’s Kingdom. You must be willing to give up something today for better things in the future.

I Corinthians 2:9 – For it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

Yes, this is the promise given to us. After the battle, we know that beyond that cliff are God’s promises waiting for us. We only have to persevere and never give up on our Christian calling.

OUR CALLING IS WORTH DYING FOR!

It is not something that we should take lightly.

Our victory is already claimed. As long as we are on God’s side and He is our commander, we will never fail because God never fails.

The question for us today is, which side will you be on?

We are in a battle, choose your side!


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