“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth to men of good will.” (Luke 2:14)
Jesus, we are told in John 1:10-11, created the world, but when He entered it the world did not recognize or honor Him. He was the long-awaited Messiah. Yet when He came to His own people, His people did not receive Him. We are further told in the prophet Isaiah that Jesus’ coming went unheralded and uncelebrated by man (Isaiah 53:1-3). Luke tells of his poverty from birth – that there was no place to lay Him except in a feeding trough (Luke 2:7). In fact, the gospels record that throughout His life there was no place of His own lay to his head at night (Matthew 8:20). Even in death there was no place of His own to lay His dead body (Matthew 27:57-61). All beds and tombs were borrowed.
Yet His Father in heaven compensated for Christ’s poverty in a marvelous way. Though mankind did not herald Jesus’ coming, all the host of heaven did. His coming went unnoticed by Israel. Yet God brought dignitaries from the distant East, as well as simple shepherds to honor Him (Matthew 2:1-11; Luke 2:8-18). No superstar of this world’s celebrities took notice of Jesus. But the brightest star of heaven proclaimed His birth.
You see what the world denied Him, God gave extraordinarily. On earth Jesus endured humiliation and crucifixion. But in heaven, He enjoyed exaltation and glory (Philippians 2:5-11). It will be the same for faithful believers. What this world withholds and robs from us, God will supply abundantly.
Every member of the military who believes in Jesus should memorize a verse from Luke: “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times as much at this time, and in the age to come, eternal life” (Luke 18:29-30). If you, as a Soldier, Airman, Sailor, or Marine are a believer in Jesus, then your every assignment and deployment most certainly come from the hand of God. And though the separations and deployments He allows are painful, God will compensate you for them all. He will give you grace, comfort, strength, and friends to sustain you on earth. Far greater, He will reward you marvelously in heaven for your sacrifices. Paul the apostle declared that the sufferings of this present life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us (Romans 8:18).
REFLECTION
- Is the cost of following Jesus in the military cutting very deeply? Are you enduring multiple separations from the people you love most?
- What then does Jesus’ promise in Luke 18:19-20 mean to you?
- God will compensate you eternally and infinitely for your sacrifices for Him.
