Gods and Generals
Newsletter Article
July 2003
I just watched a movie and read the book, “Gods and Generals”. If you have not read the book, I would recommend it as an interesting novel with some history behind it. Now I don’t want to try and defend either side of the Civil War in this writing but I want to point you toward an idea that I find appealing, at least in the stories I read. (By the way, read the book. It is better than the movie).
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was one of the leading General’s of the Civil War. He is said to have faced mortal danger without fear. Here is an exchange between him and Captain Imoboden….
“General,” I (Captain, later Brigadier General John D. Imboden) remarked, “how is it that you can keep so cool. and appear so utterly insensible to danger in such a storm of shell and bullets as rained about you when your hand was hit?” He instantly became grave and reverential in his manner, and answered, in a low tone of great earnestness: “Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.” He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: “That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”
Here is an eyewitness account from Captain Imboden about the bravery in battle of Stonewall Jackson. I have to assume that it is at least true in part and I marvel at the faith of the man who trusts God so much that he does not worry about his death even in the midst of shells and bullets. This is a perfect picture of the battle we face everyday with the powers of this world.
For those of us who are saved by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus Christ, we are protected from the final death but our bravery is not protected so. If we do not fully trust God then we will not be as brave as He calls us to be. I can tell you that when I am given a chance to pass along some of the love that Christ has shown me my heart begins to beat a little faster. I hear a small voice say inside me “what do I say to him?” or “what will they think of me?” and if I listen too long to that voice, I am not able to hear the voice of the Spirit that lives in me. The voice of the Spirit that will give the words to say. The voice of the Spirit will tell me what He thinks of me when I take a stand for Christ in this lost and fallen world.
The Cambridge International Dictionary defines Brave as:
brave (WITHOUT FEAR) adjective
showing no fear of dangerous or difficult things
Here are some quotes from scripture about fear:
John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear , but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
2Tim1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity , but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
So, in our fear we must be willing to be brave in order to do the things God gives us to do. We may want to lock the doors to keep out the world but once we see Jesus we are overjoyed and cannot be contained in a locked room. The bindings of slavery are broken by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross so we are now called sons of God. We can call him Daddy and crawl up on His lap when we are afraid. We are granted the courage by His spirit of power and by the discipline we are given through the Holy Spirit we will never be ashamed to tell others what Christ has done in our lives.
Listen always to the voice of the Spirit that lives within us. Be brave even when it seems that shells and bullets are raining down on us. We will not always know all the answers but we know the One who does. Trust in Him and you will succeed.
In His Grip,
Jerry Robertson
Chaplain