Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to remember those who have served this country in the armed forces and those who are currently serving. While many of us fly our flags and have tears in our eyes when soldiers come home to their families, have we considered the importance of praying for the safety of our troops each day?
Perhaps we don’t pray for our troops because we don’t think it will have much effect, but the Bible promises, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,” (James 5: 16).
But is prayer relevant today? During Operation Iraqi Freedom, United States Navy Chaplain Lieutenant Carey H. Cash said he “saw firsthand what happens when belief in Almighty God floods the hearts and souls of men and women rushing into battle.” He continued, “This supreme confidence in God is not foxhole religion or superficial faith. It is a life-changing decision to place oneself in the loving hands of Him who is greater than the battlefield.”
But you may wonder why our prayers seem sometimes effective and sometimes not. Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy wondered the same thing and searched the Bible, especially the teachings and healings of Jesus, for an answer. She later wrote, “It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony.”
In her search, she found that God is reliable, unchanging, continuous, unconditional divine Love – a Principle that can be trusted to bring protection, guidance and healing into our lives – but that we need to understand this in order to free ourselves from fear and worry which tend to limit our prayers. She recognized the need to learn more of God as this omnipotent and omnipresent Principle in order to demonstrate His complete care for us.
This acknowledgement of the omnipotence of God can help all of us in the “battles” we face every day. But during this time of armed forces’ remembrance, let’s remember to keep our military men and women in our prayers, realizing they are safe “under the shadow” of ever-present divine Principle, Love.
