The Four Chaplains Did It

 

In a recent article, Phillip Morrison retold the story of four chaplains in the U.S. military who died in heroic fashion on the same day. George Fox, Alexander Goode, Clark Poling, and John Washington had just graduated from Army Chaplains School at Harvard and were headed to Europe for their first WWll assignments. Shortly after midnight on February 3, 1943, their ship, the U.S.A. Transport Dorchester, was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Newfoundland. As these chaplains helped the 904 troops on board seek to escape the sinking ship, they realized they were out of life vests. All four removed their vests and gave them to soldiers. The last recorded view of these four heroes was of them arm in arm singing hymns, as they went down with the ship. Such unselfish sacrifice led Congress, by unanimous vote in 1988, to declare February 3^rd to be “Four Chaplains Day.” This historical account made me ask myself for whom would I be willing to die? Would I give my life for my wife? How would I respond if the doctor said that a medical treatment that would save my son or daughter from a fatal cancer would cost me my own life? It has been said that our service men sign a blank check as they enter military service - willing to pay any price to defend our country. The early Christians were willing to die defending Jesus and advancing His kingdom. That sacrifice is being repeated by thousands in our world today. Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends.” We must never forget that Jesus did just that, and that He calls us to willingly sacrifice all things for His Cause.

An interesting phenomenon has occurred across North America for several winters. Individuals and groups have made some things to help those who are cold and in need. The things are scarves, and they are turning up in unusual places - wrapped around trees, fire hydrants, light poles, hanging on fences, etc. On a fire hydrant, a note inside the scarf read: “I AM NOT LOST! If you need this to stay warm, then please take it. It is yours. Be warm and do something to help someone else today if you can” Good Samaritans are leaving scarves out for the homeless in Canadian and U.S. cities. Another scarf, wrapped around a parking meter contained a note that said, “I’m not lost. If you are cold, I’m yours. I was made for you to take.” Made for you to take - the scarves “knew” their purpose and were in the process of fulfilling that purpose. From around the country, it is reported that the scarves are gone within hours of being put out for distribution to needy (lost) souls.

[Luke 19:8-10] ‘Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”’ The Lord Jesus knew his purpose while he was on this earth and went about doing it. “…Behold, I have come – In the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:5-7; Psalm 40:6-8). He also said to God, “I glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). Those who follow God also have a clearly stated purpose in the Old Testament, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Help someone see the purpose God has for us all and help them fulfill it. Help save a lost soul today.