By Pastor Mark Moreno

Semper Fidelis

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

I have been blessed to serve in the military, and often my duty has included ministry to the Marines. They get up early and stay up late, they get covered in grime and grease from both the terrain and the equipment they operate. Maines train hard, and are out in the field frequently to fine tune their approach to mission accomplishment.

One particular exercise I was on had soldiers from South America and Canada, in addition to our Marines. The work we did that month came to a culmination in a three day battlefield simulation that was hard, but incredibly rewarding.

Those three days felt like a month! Sleep was almost non-existent, the operational tempo was high, and the work was constant. But the time we invested in each other previously really paid off. By all accounts, the battlefield simulation was a success.

This photo captured a moment in those three days. It was a time for worship, for prayer, for God to make His way into the hearts and minds of these warriors. It stands in stark contrast to the basic Gospel message. Matthew 12:40 says,

“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”.
English Standard Version

Jesus entered into rest by way of His crucifixion, death and burial. Yet three days later, He emerged from the tomb and the church has been praising God and living in Jesus’ resurrection ever since.

God can do so much, even in a day. Right now you may be at the brink of exhaustion and when searching for words that describe your situation, “success” is not one of those words. That’s alright, we all have seasons like that. But remember it is a season, and this too shall pass.

Semper Fidelis is a Latin phrase the Marines use as a motto, it means, “always faithful”. Know this day that God Himself is always faithful and that His love for you will carry you always!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado