Last time we discovered that we have to come to our senses to realize
that there is hope in our despair. As long as our reality is focused on
our own grim circumstances, we will remain in the "land of shadow of
death". Yes, it may be our reality, but if we remain stuck in that
reality, we will continue to wail in despair. After all, the night will
not last forever! The sun will rise once again, proclaiming that there
is hope indeed. We only have to remain in darkness because we choose it.
There is much more to the "reality" of darkness than what we see!
The "Light" can evaporate our world of gloom in a moment, but we
have to come to our senses to truly realize that reality. As long as we
hold on to the "realities" of darkness, hope will be elusive. However,
once we accept the reality of the "Light" and bathe in it, there is no
way we would ever reconsider returning to dwell in the sinister world of
the shadow of death!
Have we ever noticed how people always
become cheerful when the sun is shining? What stops us from being that
way all the time? Need help? Call the Son, who will shed light upon our
soon-to-be-victory!
"Even though I walk through the darkest
valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
staff, they comfort me." (Ps 23:4, NIV2)
Germany had been
defeated and Belgium was now completely free. Hitler did not give up in
his plans to conquer the world so easily, however, and he planned a
contra-evasive plan. He would attack the Ardennes in Belgium and push
his army to Antwerp, where he would rebuild his navy. This battle was
called the battle of the Bulge, because of the fact that for several
weeks, this resulted in a seventy by fifty mile "bulge" into the Allied
territory in the Ardennes.
When that battle came into the
vicinity of Emile's village, near Bastogne, Belgium, Emile's parents
were truly concerned about their twelve-year-old son. Emile's father
owned a bicycle store, but since Nazi occupation meant it would be
forbidden to ride bikes during the occupation, selling bikes would soon
become impossible.
Before the Nazis arrived, Emile's parents sent
their son off on a bike to his uncle in Bastogne. Hopefully it would be
safer there! Before letting their son go, Emile's father promised him
that when the war was over for good, they would bike together to the
North Sea and enjoy the beach.
Although Emile endured hardships
due to the German bombings, his uncle had enough food and clean water,
and he survived the war. Sadly, he would never see his parents again.
When the Nazis invaded his home town, a radio was found in the church
steeple. As a consequence of that fact, the Nazis rounded up several
civilians, including Emile's father, and executed them all. His mother
would later succumb to the very last German bombings.
After a few
months, when Hitler's army had been driven away, thanks to the
perseverance of the Allied soldiers, Emile was able to return home, only
to find that the bike shop had been completely annihilated and both of
his parents were gone. Darkness filled his soul, along with hatred
towards those nasty Nazis. He could have remained in this deep dark
forever, but that's not what his parents would have wanted for him. He
eventually came to his senses and opted for the hope emanating from the
Light. He decided to keep his dad's promise, and he biked to the coast
of Belgium. Later he reopened the bike shop in his village, to honor the
memory of his dad. One day, after all, he would see his parents again,
in a much better place.
There is always hope. It all depends on
whether or not we come to our senses!
Rob Chaffart