Deeply Grateful, Yet Equally Troubled On This Memorial Day!
- John Bost
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
As I sit here on this Memorial Day morning, my heart is grateful, yet heavy, my mind disturbed.
Grateful for my Dad, still with us at 99 years-old, deeply patriotic and lifelong model of spiritual devotion.
Troubled however, as I have just attempted to watch the May 21 recording of the inaugural, volunteer Pentagon prayer breakfast. At first, it all seemed gloriously similar to the many prayer and worship gatherings in which I have participated for some 50+ years, up until the third prayer.
The first prayer was truly sincere, and humbly delivered to the packed auditorium by a military colonel, his dress and spiritual rhetoric commanding my deep respect.
The colonel quoted from the prayers of King David, as he beseeched God for intervention on behalf of America. Afterwards, encouraging all ears in the audience to remain open, so that as a result of these gatherings "those around us might receive your love".
I can't imagine the conflict within the audience given their responsibility for a war machine second to none!
Then came greetings and a prayer offered up again, this time to King Jesus, from the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. His prayer followed by the introduction of his hometown pastor from Tennessee, the first in a rotation of pastors, each delivering a brief sermon to those who might later choose to gather monthly.
Hegseth's pastor serves the Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship, and apparently has been in close relationship with the Secretary of Defense. He mentions that this inaugural event was the result of two years of 6 a.m. morning prayers.
Thus far, everything aligned with my own prayer journey, having served with some of the best of pastors and civic leaders. Myself even for 4 years occupying a 24th floor office, free of charge frim a local businessman in order that I met with others, pray over our city.
I share all that only to communicate my heart for prayer!
However, when I heard the third prayer offer gratitude for our current president bringing "civility and moral clarity back to our land," my soul all but gasped!
My mind then seemed to recount how often I had heard mention the moniker of "king." If you are a student of scripture you know the story behind Isreal's envy of others and the inevitable tragedy of such governance.
Following what I believe was an early morning prompting of the Spirit, I cannot help but grieve for our blessed nation as she teeters on the edge of a Christian nationalism that has never bode well.
Even when the Secretary cited words prayed by George Washington as he led the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) it seemed as somehow he missed the fact that monarchy was at the center of that conflict.
As my readers may know, my hometown was settled by believers who had even earlier fled from persecution that had continued after their famed Bishop, Moravian Jan Hus had been burned at the stake for challenging the religious dogma of his day. Then within one hundred years, Luther again challenged the same based upon Hus' earlier concerns, still again, Bonhoeffer, himself then hanged!
I would think my spirit recently the victim of some spiritual delusion were it not for the powerful moments of personal prayer which I believe to have seasoned my own discernment.
I am troubled deeply, yet remain open to instruction if necessary, as I know of no better nation than my own.
God have mercy upon us, as we seem in a deep state of spiritual confusion, global economic chaos, and given the "pot stirring" of Putin (see link below), perhaps on the brink of WWIII.
Happy Memorial Day