Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Mar. 14, 2012

(More) Words of “Infamy”
“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.” – Proverbs 4:20

At 5:30 a.m. on May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany began a massive attack against Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. Defending those countries were soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force along with the French, Belgian, and Dutch (Allied) armies. The Germans relied on an aggressive battle plan, utilizing modern communications such as radio to direct troops in the field. The Allies, for their part, assumed a defensive posture, just as they had done at the start of World War I, and in many cases still relied on hand-delivered messages. As a result, the German Blitzkrieg (lightning attack) caught the Allies off-guard. German Panzer tanks staged a surprise attack through the 'impassable' Ardennes Forest then turned northward and soon surrounded the bulk of the Allied armies in Belgium. The "Miracle at Dunkirk" occurred next as 338,000 British and French soldiers were hurriedly evacuated from the coastline by Royal Navy ships and a flotilla of civilian boats of every shape and size.
After just a few weeks of battle, Hitler's armies had conquered Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium. Paris fell on June 14th. Three days later, the French requested an armistice.
The following day, June 18th, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke to the House of Commons about the disastrous turn of events in Europe amid the stark realization that Britain now stood alone against the seemingly unstoppable might of Hitler's military machine. The following is the conclusion to that speech:
“Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.
Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'”

On September 7th Hitler changed tactics—rather than bombing military facilities he had his bombers target London with the intent of “cutting at the heart” of the British people and its empire. For the next 76 days (both day and/or night) German bombers hit in and around the city. The bombings would last until May 10 of 1941. In all, an estimated 43,000 were killed with thousands more seeing their homes or businesses destroyed. It was Hitler’s hope that this would break their resistance and yield to his demands. When they did not he turned his attention elsewhere—eventually to lose the war. Many attribute this victory to Churchill’s uncompromising stance and his almost daily speeches where he encouraged the British people to stand firm.
Words can cause many to sink or swim! We are being attacked on a daily basis by an enemy that wants to cut at the heart of our belief system—seeking to have us surrender and yield to his will. By “paying attention” to Words of God and the wisdom attached, though assaulted we can nonetheless remain unharmed and live to battle another day.
That, more than anything else is what this book, and the power of God provides. They are words of encouragement—strength—endurance and understanding.
Are you facing some trying times? Are you going through some battles that are wearing you down—causing you to lose your resistance? Could it be said of you that in the face of such overwhelming odds that today would be…”your finest hour?”
Pastor J. T. Carnell