Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday December 7, 2010

Sixty Nine years ago December 7, 1941 earned the title, "The Day that will live in infamy." I was a few days shy of 3 months, and the nut doctors tell me that I probably have locked in the old gray matter some memory of radio broadcasts and conversation of this day that changed everything. The "sneak" attack on Pearl Harbor by the barbarous Japanese. The next day Winston Churchill addressed the House of Commons, and stated, "Hitler's madness has infected the Japanese mind."

I know of no event in the history of human warfare that had the immediate impact of this initial attack.

While Churchill declared that Hitler's attack on Britain was the British people's "finest hour" we Americans rose to the occasion's demand and committed everything to victory on two fronts, the Far East and Europe. Those who read the books and see the movies fail to grasp how close we came to losing everything. Thankfully the commitment of the Allied Forces and the prayers of the nations proved greater than sneak attacks, genocide and acts of brutality unparalleled in the annals of battle.

Noted football coach and gifted speaker, Vince Lombardi, wrote on the subject of victory with words that can apply to the field of titanic battle:

"I firmly believe that any man's (nations) finest hour, his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious."

While it is arguable that the above was the greatest series of events concerning victory at war, another event involving satanic forces on the one hand and on the other the birth of a baby who though announced by an Angelic Host, was nonetheless born in a manger in a stable in the tiny town of Bethlehem. This infant would make a larger and more positive impact on the world and the celestial world than all the wars and great battles of history combined.

When the Babe grew to maturity, he fought the battle of the ages against the combined legions of hell, and at the moment of victory, spoke words with uncanny meaning, though he was beaten to a bloody mess, nailed to a cross and vilified by a mob, by government dignitaries and thieve on either side, haunting words of eternal import,

"It is finished."

The Declaration of Surrender, read aloud by General Douglas MacArthur on the deck of the Battleship Missouri to this day give me cold chills when I hear them. Yet the phrase from the cross at Calvary, three simple words, words without which the world would lie in defeat without hope forever, bring deep hope and a sweeping spirit of victory in Christ. These three words, coupled with words from Angels three days later, "He is not here, He is Risen" completing the rescue of fallen ones from the grips of hopelessness and despair and the fear of eternal death which long enslaved the fallen Sons of Adam. Because of the Babe's intervention, the works of the devil were destroyed. Ultimate Victory.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

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