America was at peace, but it was an
unsteady peace the first week of December 1941. Unemployment was high but better than it had been. Many served our country in the
military.
Our nation was not at war,
but Europe was. We didn’t call it
World War II yet. It was simply
‘The Emergency.’
Seventy years ago, people went about their daily lives with a sense of
normalcy. They listened to their
Philco and General Electric radios.
Children went to school and families anticipated celebrating Christmas
in a few weeks.
On Saturday, December 6, football fans looked forward to the Sunday NFL
game. The Washington Redskins had
struggled through another losing season. But the Giants had won the Eastern
Division and would play the winner of the Packers–Bears game for the
championship.
No one expected war and the President was in the midst of pursuing
diplomatic solutions with the Japanese.
An attack on the Homeland was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
In Washington, D.C. Sunday, December 7 began as a beautiful late autumn
day. People were going to church,
reading the Sunday papers and relaxing.
Then at about 7:30 a.m. in Hawaii (early afternoon on the East Coast)
more than 300 Japanese airplanes dropped from the sky. They attacked our military bases on
Ford Island, Hickam Field and Pearl Harbor. It was completely unexpected.
December 7, 1941 was one of those rare days when every American old
enough to understand remembered exactly where they were and what they were
doing when they heard the news.
Overnight the United States went from isolationist and nationalistic to
an internationally involved country. And the Great War, World War I, instead of
being “the war to end all wars,” was the beginning of a long line of wars and
military actions that stretch to the present day.
In fact, ever since the Christmas angels announced to the shepherds in
the field, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward to
men,” there’s been anything but peace on earth. Instead it’s been nothing but “wars and rumors of wars.”
“Now hold on just a minute!” you may say. “Then what’s all the talk at Christmas time about ‘Peace on
earth’? Who are we kidding?” Good question.
Jesus Christ is
called ‘The Prince of Peace’ and he talked about a new kind of peace. “Peace I
leave with you,” Jesus said, “My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
In this world real
peace is not the absence of war, but the protection of the presence of God. The
peace of God is a peace that will never leave you. If you have Jesus, he gives you peace. And his peace is not the brief kind
that the world makes–it’s a lasting peace.
The Bible says that
if we follow Christ and trust in him as Lord and Savior, “The peace of God
which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.”
In Christ we are
finally at peace WITH God and also have the peace OF God in our hearts.
Peace comes from
understanding that God is in control.
And from choosing to let him be in control of our lives. When we try to control everything we
have no peace.
December 7, 1941 was
the 9/11 for my parent’s generation.
And 9/11 was the ‘Pearl Harbor’ for the younger generations. Sadly neither World War II nor all the
wars since have brought the world any sense of lasting peace.
What’s the solution? To
walk with God through faith in Christ and be filled with his peace.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your
soul!
1 comment:
Hey, Chris. Two thoughts, not really related to the main, important point of your post. First, I wonder how many in our nation tried to blame our nation for Japan's attack, as they did for the Sept. 11 attacks. Second, and this is prompted by something I read somewhere (oh, the aging, nonspecific memory!), I wonder how many Pearl Harbor deniers are out there, you know, like Holocaust deniers.
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