Lest we forget

"... the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless." Genesis 17.1

Those who remember will pause at 11am this morning to remember that moment when the guns fell silent on the Western Front, ending the deadliest war in history. What have we learned? That war brings out the worst and best in humanity? That it always comes at a terrible cost? That it invariably involves collateral damage? That nature recovers remarkably quickly but some of those caught up in war never recover?

And what of God's command to Abraham, quoted above? Is it possible to walk faithfully and be blameless, when one has taken up arms to fight and kill and destroy? There are not easy answers to any of these questions and their application is shaded in nuance. We ourselves may never go to war yet, in supporting or benefitting from those who do, where does that leave us - with blood on our hands or not?

Jesus never promised an easy life. Our struggle may be against flesh and blood, in may involve mental turmoil, it may be in the heavenly realms... Yet strife and suffering there will be. What Jesus does promise is that he will be riding the storm at our side. If we seek to walk faithfully before God, his promise is that we shall find that we are not alone. We shall never walk alone. I wonder if those we remember today were aware?