A Child Shall Lead Them

I'm officiating at a funeral tomorrow afternoon. Ethan was a wonderful, vibrant, 2 year old who recently died after a long battle to try to save his life after a tragic accident.

Two short years the world was blessed with this little guy.

The family seems to be walking and talking through this as good as can be expected. I was honored to be asked to help lead the funeral. I worked with the family in the hospital when it all began. That seems so far away right now.

What do I say? What do I preach? I started looking at all the texts with the word "children" or "child" in them. Two chapters in Matthew really stood out. Matthew 18 and 19 each have a wonderful insight into how our Lord felt and thought about children.

When I break it down it seems clear "Heaven belongs to such as these" (Matt 19:14). When I thought about that I asked myself what do they (children) possess that allow them to turn the tables and become models and teachers for adults?

Humility is the first thing and is found in Matt 18:4. Whoever masters humility is the greatest in the kingdom. Humility is the trait that children posses that enable them to unlock heavens gates.

Faith or trust is another trait that children accel at. They have not learned to question everything yet. There is so much they believe simply because we say it.

Forgiveness is another trait that children possess in abundance. Many kids are gracious when it comes saying sorry and forgiving their friends after a fight.

And finally and maybe most importantly, Love. Children love recklessly. The little people are passionate. They love unconditionally. They love people, places and seasons and reasons.

Heaven belongs to such as these...do you meet that standard? Do you have humility, faith, forgivness, and love?

He lived two short years on this planet and that qualifies him as a heavenly guide. He never lived long enough to grow out of those traits and qualities that uniquely secure for him a special place in Heaven.

I can't wait to see him again, to thank him, for being true and faithful.

Every Place Where You Set Your Foot

Our family verse for this deployment is Joshua 1:9, Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Thats kinda comfortin in't it? We thought so...

I was reading around the verse today and reflecting on the passage in context. Here is the reason for the exhortation to courage and strength. I will give you every place where you set your foot. What ever peoples, places, problems, no matter what God is going to give them victory where ever they step. He is going to give me victory wherever I step.

How is God going to do that? He is going to lead us, be with us, walk into the promised land before us. In verse 9 he says he "will be with you whereever you go." If we are taking our cues from him, If he is the voice we are concerned about hearing and following then we will never not have victory no matter what situation we might face.

He is the Lord of every situation. There is nothing that surprises him. Before God's people cried out for kings to follow He was described as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Before we asked for generals to command us he was described as the Lord of Hosts (armies). Before we asked for mighty warriors to deliver us the Lord was described as a "man of war."

There is nothing we will face in our life times that will catch god by surprise. Follow after him hard and sleep well.

There Came A Lion

1 Samuel 17:34, "And there came a lion"

In David's day and age I don't think you could have had any worse scenario than to have the "king of beasts," a lion, bearing down on you and your flock.

Could there be anything worse? Yes!

David could have missed one of the greatest "opportunities" God had ever brought his way if he had turned and fled.

I'm leaving this morning for one year. That separation from family will be very hard. The dangers I/we will face are very real, yet I do not believe any of this is an accident. I am not going over because the world is haphazardly spinning out of control. This and every trial that comes my way has wrapped up in it the potential for me to embrace God's plan for my life.

This lion did not stumble accidently into my life. Our paths have crossed on purpose. He is here at this time, at this place, at this season, for a glorious reason.

Pro Deo Et Patria...For God and Country!

I have been struggling a little bit today with my devotions and the impressions I have had from them. As I write this I am not trying to elicit pity or praise. I want to be faithful with what I feel God is asking me to share. That is not always what I want to say.

I have been given some guidance in how I am going to be praying during this deployment and want to share that with the prayer team which consists of many of you.

I am not asking you to pray that God spare us from death but rather that we be spared from sin. The scriptures say clearly in 1Cor 15 that the sting of death has been swallowed-up. The sting of sin however has not. There are grave and ill consequences for sin. If we are to lead people to new life in Christ we must operate in a power that has conquered sin and a grace that beckons us to never stop trying.

I am not asking that you pray that God keep us safe from harm. God's priority is not to save our skin but he will do everythihng to save our souls.

I am asking that you pray that we be the kind of leaders who are worth following
and that we be Christians who reflect Christ in our strength and weaknesses as we live closely and deeply with those he died for.

Thanks,
Chaplain Randal Miller
Captain, WI AR NG
HHC, 1/128th INF BN

Nuttin but da blood

Ever cause pain or inflict injury to anothers body? Ever draw blood from an individual on purpose? I did this week and I felt good about it!

I was enrolled in a combat lifesavers course at Ft. McCoy. Me and a hundred others practiced giving intraveneous fluids to each other. We all got poked and we all had to poke someone else. It was a requirement of the course.

I saw battle hardened men's hands shakin' as they held the needle and approached their buddies arm. The first 5-6 that I watched failed on their first attempt at establishing a good stick.

Their is something powerful in the blood. Something sacred about the spilling of it. I think most of us sense it.

The scriptures speak clearly about the handling of blood and its products.

Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."

Physically, mentally and spiritually blood needs to be handled properly.

When I was a kid I think I was kinda creeped out by the churches fasination with "the blood." I didn't get it and pretty much wanted to stay away from the conversation.

As we age and mature so must our understanding of Christ and his shed blood.

As I learned this week, sometimes the shedding of blood is necessary for the saving of life. Injury is necessary for healing and pain, even though it hurts, often allows us to experience life from a new perspective.

These things in light of the cross of Christ are no longer the enemy. Our enemy has been defeated. May his blood flow forever more! Amen!

What are we fighting for?

I remembered the first time a drill instructor yelled at me for making bad leadership choices. He was saying to me that my decisions were costing lives.

I remembered thinking long and hard about what he said that evening. My actions or inactions as a leader from this point on could cost people their lives.

That was a sobering thought and as true as it was I was more concerned that evening with the spiritual application of his words.

I was concerned that I had not felt the passion I heard from him in relation to my calling, the war I wage and the battles I fight.

It is hard for me to maintain passion about anything. I readily recognized this in relation to my marriage. I am a man like many others.

My wife and I used to be adamant that we would never let the passion subside in our relationship. We have, or "it" has changed.

We both recognize it when we get around newlyweds. We think those youngsters are kinda korny now.

In a sense I have forgotten what it feels like to be in love. To love the woman I married, the men I serve, or the God who saved me.

When I remember my passion and first love it affects how I act, the decisions I make and the life I lead. It affects those I lead.

Valentines Day is around the corner. What do you love? What are you fighting for? Nothing! Then get back in the ring with me!

It is so easy to make my wife smile. I'm gonna do it. It is the best reinforcement I can do for the home team.

I'm gonna do it when I'm hanging around the guys in my unit. I'm not going to be silent and fearful but instead I'll stand and be faithful.

No weapon formed against me will prevail (Isa 54:17).

Let's allow Valentine's Day to stir the passion in our hearts once again.

Sick as a Dog!

Sick as a Dog! Have you ever been there? I was Superbowl Sunday. I woke up and hugged the toilet about 5:00am and again at about 8:00am. I was supposed to speak that morning and my stomach churned even more at the thought of calling to cancel on my good friend and mentor, Pastor Phil up at Bloomer Assembly of God. I decided to go as long as the Lord kept my legs from buckling under me.

It was not easy. There was no instant healing. I felt very sick even as I got out of the vehicle and approached the church. As I waited I sat quietly on a couch praying for strength before the service. Several people had been praying for me, others had laid hands on me and as I approached the pulpit I was infused with power from on high. I got my miracle.

I could not believe how good I felt by the end of the service. As I closed the service I mentioned to the congregation for the first time what God had done to bring me to them. I mentioned to them the reason I had come to them was to ask for prayer for my deployment and in the event of asking them to cover me in prayer God was supplying them with an example of the power of prayer.

When we left I began to feel weak immediately. I declined lunch with my good friends knowing I could not smell food yet. By the time we got home I felt quite horrible once again. I was shaking and shivering and crawled into bed with all my clothes on. I slept for 3 1/2 hours, woke, and started eating, just in time for the Super Bowl!!!

I feel really good today. God is alive, living and in-control. I guess you could say I feel dog-gone-good! I hope you do to. Blessings