Today is the anniversary of the D Day Invasion that took place in 1944. Thousands of lives lost and millions of lives released from the tyranny of Adolph Hitler. Free nations expressing our desire to share that freedom with those who were under the bondage of the evil one. Our forefathers were willing to give their lives so others could be saved and FREE. This sincere expression of sacrifice still impacts our world today as we live in the freedom they so valiantly fought for on the shores of Normandy and the interior of France. A force so committed to that freedom that all the enemy threw at them could not stop them. A terrific price paid for freedom and a legacy of "holding the line" and then advancing to complete, not partial, victory. We will forever say "thank you" to those who gave their lives for our freedom and today in our memories is D Day. Some of the facts are listed below:
The Normandy beaches were chosen by planners because they lay within range of air cover, and were less heavily defended than the obvious objective of the Pas de Calais, the shortest distance between Great Britain and the Continent. Airborne drops at both ends of the beachheads were to protect the flanks, as well as open up roadways to the interior. Six divisions were to land on the first day; three U.S., two British and one Canadian. Two more British and one U.S. division were to follow up after the assault division had cleared the way through the beach defenses.
Disorganization, confusion, incomplete or faulty implementation of plans characterized the initial phases of the landings. This was especially true of the airborne landings which were badly scattered, as well as the first wave units landing on the assault beaches. To their great credit, most of the troops were able to adapt to the disorganization. In the end, the Allies achieved their objective.
It's amazing that with all the plans and all the preparation, when they were put into practice so many of them fell apart and disorganization and confusion caused many problems in the initial phases. One thing after another went wrong and the best laid plans were falling apart, but one thing kept it all together. The MEN! Those men on the shore learned quickly to adapt to the changing landscape and quickly devised ways to work around the problems and make their way up the beach to secure the cliffs. All in all paratroopers were having to adapt to landing in the wrong zone, many times in the midst of enemy troops. Their on the fly adapting to the situations around them took what could have been a disaster and turned it into a victory. One thing they were not going to do was go back. Their advance in the face of a strong war machine proved fruitful as they continued the attack on the Germans. Before long the enemy folded and the war was won.
I'm sure they got tired, lonely, scared, and many times disenchanted, but they kept on. I think many of us who know Christ are seeing more and more believers getting tired, distracted, and even to the point of giving up. The religious flavor in our mouths has taken over the purity of our relationship with Christ and it just doesn't cut it anymore. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 11:28, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest." Getting away with the Lord doesn't mean we just quit! It means we get back to the reason we live, or exist. As soldiers of the faith we know God's Plans and we know He is going before us as we advance on the evil one. Sometimes things change and we need to be able to adapt so we don't shut down. If we are trying to adapt from the wisdom of religion then we are not going to be able to make it. If we are adapting with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then nothing will be able to stop us.
In the same way that America responded to the outcry of Europe, God responds to the outcry of His people. He is available to help, to heal, and to uplift. We are a part of an invasion that has been going on since Christ commissioned the Church and those who have fought before us learned to adapt to society in such a way as the keep the message strong. Jesus Saves!!
God is here with us and He is leading us through the obstacles of life, but we must have a purity in our relationship that bypasses all of man's perceptions and hones in on God's perceptions. That can only be done through prayer. You may not know what to pray right now, but God will help you. Paul wrote to the Romans in 8:26 by saying, "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans." Just in the same way those men on Normandy beach urged each other on in the midst of circumstances they didn't know how to handle. Christ continues to urge us on when we don't even know what to pray. We serve a complete God who is here and helping. Ask Him to help you adapt to the situations you are going through in your life so you can continue to fight and reach victory.
Today is our D Day! DESPERATION DAY!! Are you desperate for God to help? Then you have taken your first step toward victory.
The Pilgrimage continues......
David Warren
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