As Christians, our hearts are moved by the suffering and conflict we witness globally, rightly encouraging prayers for places like Israel and Ukraine, lands of strife and loss. Yet, we must ask Why our intercession often focuses on certain nations while others, such as Palestine and Russia, remain outside our petitions? Have political currents dictated our compassion and communion with God? It’s time to broaden our prayers, seeking God's expansive will in these troubled regions.

Let us pray that Hamas and Russia relent from evil and turn to the Lord. Do we prioritize our allies’ military victory over the “enemy’s” salvation? Can we envision praying for their transformation, where hatred yields to love and reconciliation? Our ultimate hope rests not only in the absence of earthly conflict but in the eternal peace and reconciliation offered through Christ, when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation” (Isaiah 2:4).

Let us pray that God executes His judgments on Hamas and Russia for their evil slaughter of innocents. The cry for justice is natural. But too often, Christians view God solely as a benevolent Father, not as a sword-wielding Judge. This limited view fails to grapple with pervasive evil and suffering beyond our comfort. As Paul reminds us, “Note then the kindness and the severity of God” (Rom 11:22). Our prayers concerning war should shatter comfortable theologies, compelling us to grapple with God’s whole character, from compassion to fierce opposition to evil.

Let us also turn our hearts in prayer to all war victims, including Palestinians in Gaza. Witnessing Gaza's devastation – leveled buildings, crumbling infrastructure, lack of sanitation, and a scarcity of food – should move us. Rationalizing their plight by citing Hamas’ control of the region diminishes their humanity. Are Palestinians less worthy of our prayers due to geographical location, governance, religion, or skin color? God’s compassion transcends men’s artificial boundaries; we are to “be merciful, even as [our] Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).  

Finally, let us pray humbly, acknowledging potential wrongdoing on all sides. Shall we presume our allies, like Israel or Ukraine, are exempt from atrocities? Are we blind to their actions, or do we reserve God’s justice only for enemies? Christian prayer in conflict requires evenly recognizing human fallibility and consistently pleading for universal repentance, trusting God’s impartial justice, for with Him “there is no partiality” (Rom 2:11).

Instead of allowing our prayers to be shaped by the shifting sands of political alliances, where we fervently seek the defeat of one group and the military victory of another, could our intercessions be better focused on the overarching and eternal principles of God’s Kingdom: justice that restores, peace that endures, reconciliation that heals, and the holistic flourishing of all of humanity, created in His image? Yes they can. So, may our prayers encompass not only a yearning for an end to war and the establishment of earthly justice and peace, but also the deeper and more profound hope for the universal salvation and spiritual healing of all of God’s children. Let us place our unwavering trust in His sovereign will and His boundless and universal love for all of His creation.

One of the most heartbreaking verses in all of Scripture is Judges 2:10: “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that He had done for Israel.” It’s almost unfathomable. In the immediate aftermath of Joshua’s leadership and the passing of Israel’s “greatest generation”—those who witnessed God’s mighty acts firsthand—an entirely new generation emerged, completely ignorant of God Himself and the incredible deeds He had performed for their ancestors.

I’ve read this verse countless times, thinking the phrase “did not know the Lord” encompassed this lack of knowledge of His revealed will through His Law. However, the tragedy extends far beyond a mere ignorance of God’s decrees. The verse explicitly states that this new generation also did not know God’s “work that He had done for Israel.” As astonishing as it seems, they were completely unaware of the foundational events that defined their nation's identity and demonstrated God's power and love:

• How God orchestrated the ten devastating plagues to secure the dramatic deliverance of His people from Egyptian bondage (Exd 7:14-12:30).
• How Moses, by God’s power, parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground, only to engulf their pursuers (Exd 14).
• How God miraculously sustained them in the wilderness with daily manna and an abundance of quail (Exd 16; Num 11:31-32; Psa 105:40).
• How God visibly guided their journey with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exd 13:21).
• How, during their forty years of wandering, their clothes never wore out, and their feet did not swell—a testament to God's provision (Deu 8:4).
• How, at the edge of the Promised Land, the waters of the Jordan River parted when the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched its surface (Jos 3:1-4:24).
• How the seemingly impenetrable walls of Jericho miraculously collapsed at God’s command (Jos 6:1-27).
• How God fought for them against their enemies, driving out the Canaanite inhabitants with devastating hailstones, and terrifying hornets (Jos 10:11; Jos 24:12).
• How God listened to Joshua and made the sun stand still (Jos 10:12-15).
• How God graciously bestowed upon them homes they did not build and vineyards they did not plant, a tangible inheritance of His faithfulness (Deu 6:10-11; Jos 24:13).

Why did this generation fall away so quickly and completely? The answer is stark: they apostatized because a generation did not know the Lord through His revealed Law or through the powerful works He had accomplished on their behalf.

There’s a profound and timely lesson embedded in this ancient account for us today. So often in our churches and personal discipleship, we emphasize understanding and obeying God’s commandments—and rightly so. However, we must also recount and remember how the Lord has actively worked in our lives and in the lives of those who have gone before us in the faith. Just as Jesus instructed the healed demoniac, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mrk 5:19), we too must share the stories of God’s intervention, His provision, and His grace. While knowing God's law provides the framework, it’s the recounting of His works that fills that frame with the undeniable proof of His character. Otherwise, we're just passing on the laws of a judge, not the works of our Savior.

I was recently lent a copy of “Maury County Cemeteries.” Its pages provide a tangible link to the lives and communities that shaped the landscape of Maury County over the last two centuries. As I paged through the two volumes, rich with historical notes, a recurring description caught my eye with a sense of sadness: abandoned, destroyed, forgotten.

The thought that family and community burial plots lie within our community, though documented but lost to the relentless march of progress, is profoundly sad. These final resting grounds, meant to be places of remembrance and honor, have ultimately succumbed to the march of time and now lie abandoned, destroyed, and forgotten.

I was recently at Polk Memorial, a cemetery where stones endure and names remain legible, a testament to its ongoing care and use. However, the stark descriptions in those volumes serve as a sobering reminder that even this well-maintained ground may, a century or two from now, also face the specter of abandonment, destruction, and forgetfulness.

The individual stories etched in these markers, the very lives of those who rest there, while meaningful to us today, will eventually fade from the memory of those who pass by, and nature will reclaim that place.

Yet, this human tendency to forget stands in powerful contrast to the divine promise articulated by the Apostle Paul: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. This perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:52b-58).  

While human efforts to memorialize the dead may crumble and earthly resting places may be lost to the unwavering progress of time, God’s remembrance is eternal. He will not allow His people to be destroyed; even as our physical forms return to dust, He promises resurrection. He will not abandon our bodies to the permanent silence of the grave but will call us forth to new life. Most importantly, He will not forget our labors of faith and service that marked our earthly journey, but He will reward us accordingly.  

Through God’s grace, His people have a lasting significance that surpasses the limits of human memory and the deterioration of earthly monuments.

“Go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus’ command resonates with all-encompassing clarity, yet our individual practices often reveal selectivity. We often shape our evangelism around unspoken limitations. The uncomfortable truth is that we’ve become adept at hearing what Jesus didn’t say, effectively silencing the unrestricted outreach of his Great Commission.

• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of financially secure people."
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are free from doubt.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are already seeking God.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who live comfortable lives.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of popular people.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are already ‘churched people.’”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who fit nicely into your church.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who will boost your attendance numbers.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are asking the right questions.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those everyone already loves.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who share your beliefs."
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who can financially support your church.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of morally upright people.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who have it all together.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who agree with your political views.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of respectable people.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are easy to reach.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who married with children.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who will never rock the boat.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who already understand the Bible.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are educated and well-spoken.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who are free from addiction.”
• He didn’t say, “Go and make disciples only of those who look like you.”

We stand at a crossroads. Will we continue to shape the Great Commission to suit our preferences, or will we allow its expansive nature to transform us? The uncomfortable truth demands a response. Let’s embrace the ‘all’ in Jesus’ words and commit to evangelism that reflects His boundless love - for ‘all’ people.

What do the tune and chorus of “Jesus Loves Me” and the patriotic Civil War song “Hold On Abraham” have in common? Both were written by the same man in 1862.

William Batchelder Bradbury, a notable figure in American hymnody, is renowned for composing timeless tunes for hymns such as: “He Leadeth Me,” “Just As I Am,” “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us,” and “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.”

However, his most enduring legacy arises from two seemingly contrasting compositions created in the tumultuous year of 1862: the beloved children’s hymn “Jesus Loves Me” and the stirring Civil War anthem “Hold On Abraham!”

Bradbury’s discovery of the poem “Jesus Loves Me” inspired him to create a simple yet powerful melody featuring the iconic chorus, “Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so,” which continues to resonate in children’s Bible classes today. 

At the same time, the nation grappled with the devastating realities of the Civil War. Following a series of significant Union losses in the battles of Shiloh, Shenandoah, Seven Pines, and the Second Battle of Bull Run, as well as during the captures of New Orleans, Norfolk, and Corinth, Lincoln called for 150,000 reinforcements, “to speedily crush the rebellion that still exists in several of the Southern states, thus practically restoring to the civilized world our great and good government.”

Eager to aid the war effort, Bradbury penned “Hold On Abraham!” This spirited tune, infused with patriotic fervor, urged Northern citizens to rally behind the Union cause, invoking images of “Father Abraham/Uncle Sam,” the “Red, White, and Blue,” and celebrating Union generals – especially the killed-in-action Major General Philip Kearney, Jr., who “fell in Dixie while fighting for us all.” Like Kearney, the song declares, “And should we fall in Dixie, we’ll die for the dear old Flag.”

The chorus states, “Hold on, Abraham, Never say die to your Uncle Sam, Uncle Sam’s boys are coming right along, Six hundred thousand strong.”

I wonder if the stark contrast in Bradbury’s work – from tender expressions of Jesus’ love to calls for martial action – reflects the complex interplay between faith and patriotism. The notion of Christ and country resonated deeply in the American psyche, often blurring the lines between spiritual and secular devotion (perhaps “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is example #1, which originally imagined God’s wrath – through the Union Army – coming upon the South but has also been directed toward all of America’s enemies).

Thankfully, it is the message of love, not war, that defines Bradbury's lasting contribution to music. While “Hold On Abraham!” faded with the echoes of the Civil War, the simple message of "Jesus Loves Me" continues to resonate across generations and cultures. This enduring appeal speaks to a fundamental human need for comfort and connection, which transcends the temporal realm of conflict and strife.

Hold On Abraham!

1. We’re going down to Dixie, to Dixie, to Dixie

We’re going down to Dixie, to fight for the dear old Flag

And should we fall in Dixie, in Dixie, in Dixie

And should we fall in Dixie, we’ll die for the dear old Flag

Chorus

Hold on, Abraham

Never say die to your Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam’s boys are coming right along

Six hundred thousand strong

2. Our Flag shall float o’er Dixie, o’er Dixie, o’er Dixie

Our Flag shall float o’er Dixie, the Red the White and Blue

We’ll ne’er give up ’till Dixie, ’till Dixie, ’till Dixie

We’ll ne’er give up ’till Dixie, sings Yankee Doodle Doo

Chorus

3. Our Halleck’s bound for Dixie, for Dixie, for Dixie

Our Halleck’s bound for Dixie, with a million boys or two

He’ll never give up Dixie, old Dixie, old Dixie

He’ll never give up Dixie, ’till she’s back in the Union true

Chorus

4. McClellan he’s in Dixie, in Dixie, in Dixie

McClellan he’s in Dixie, and ready for the foe

Do you think he’ll give up Dixie, old Dixie, old Dixie

Do you think he’ll give up Dixie, oh, no no no no no no

Chorus

5. Bold Kearney fell in Dixie, in Dixie, in Dixie

Bold Kearney fell in Dixie, while fighting for us all

And there is Gen’ral Burnside, our Burnside, old Burnside

And there is Gen’ral Burnside, he will avenge his fall

Chorus

6. And where is Gen’ral Butler, our Butler, old Butler

And where is “Picayune Butler,” he’s gone to Dixie’s town

And there he keeps a stir’ing, a stir’ing, a stir’ing

And there he keeps a stir’ing, the Secesh up and down

Chorus

7. Brave Corcoran’s come from Dixie, from Dixie, from Dixie

Brave Corcoran’s come from Dixie, to speed the cause along

He’s going back to Dixie, to Dixie, to Dixie

He’s going back to Dixie, with a Brigade full and strong

Chorus

8. Our friends have gone to Dixie, to Dixie, to Dixie

Our friends have gone to Dixie, to fight for the dear old Flag

And we’re all going to Dixie, to Dixie, to Dixie

And we’re all going to Dixie, to stand by the dear old Flag