Truly one of the great lines of all time...and an old Preyer family favorite. Let me explain--
When my family was growing up, our daddy would often quote these words: "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more." It's a line from one of the finest speeches in all of literature--from Shakespeare's play, "Henry V." In the play (based on history, of course), the English army held the French city of Harfleur under siege. The French, however, had repulsed every the English attack and refused to yield. So in this speech, Henry urges on his exhausted, discouraged troops to charge the gap in the wall once more "or close the wall up with our English dead."
Maybe that's more information than you needed. Oh well.
But here's the point (or at least, here will eventually be the point): my sweet sister, Mary Norris, and her daughter just returned from a wonderful trip to England and Scotland. When they visited the Globe Theatre in London, they looked for some quotes on plaques or postcards to bring home as gifts. But there were no quotes to be found. Now imagine that! We're talking Shakespeare, people! How could they not have lots and lots of quotes from one of the world's greatest writers and in his own theatre? Good night.
Oh mercy, too much information again. Okay back to the point--
So they searched and searched, but no quotes--except this one. That's a picture of it up above. My sister gave it to me yesterday, and as soon as I opened it, I started to cry. Because, of course, I immediately remembered and thought of the very thing I'm sure my sister--and every one of my siblings--would have:
Our daddy.
I doubt a week went by without Daddy at some point declaring, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends!" As I was growing up, I didn't have a clue what it meant...but because my dear Daddy said it (and because of the way he said it), I loved it! Even before I'd ever read a single word of Shakespeare, Daddy's expression and life had already explained it to me: somehow it meant to fight on! Don't quit! Don't give up or give in but give it one more try!
We would hear him say it when we were way down in a tennis match...or when the trout weren't biting in those cold North Carolina streams...or when we'd failed in some endeavor....or when school had become a long, hard struggle...or whenever life just seemed to be bearing down on us and exhaustion and discouragement threatened to swamp our little boats.
Oh, I can hear him saying it right now--in his soft southern voice and with that gentle, little grin on his lips. Oh, Abba Father, I miss my dear daddy. What a treasure he was in our lives.
My sister had attached a little post-it with the quote when she gave it to me--"The only quote they had! Can you believe it?--Daddy's favorite!"
Yes, actually I can believe it. And you know why? Because we serve a God who is sovereign and in control of all, all, all things. Even small, silly things like quotations and postcards and the stock carried by some little store on the other side of the world.
And somehow the Lord knew we might need a few reminders. A reminder, first of all, of the preciousness, the pricelessness of those we love. Thank You Father for our fathers...and our sisters...and our brothers...and our husbands and wives...and our children...and our friends. Oh, to have the joy of loving and being loved...just as we are. Even with all our eccentricities and foibles. Thank You, Lord, for the treasure of those we love in our lives. Might we never ever take them for granted.
But also a reminder to keep trying! A reminder that no matter what any of us might be going through, it's always too soon to quit. Always too soon to give in to discouragement or despair.
Always too soon to quit and never too late to try...not with our Lord.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." (Heb.12:1-3)
Many of us are fighting hard, protracted battles right now. I have prayed for so many just today. And then this morning, I learned of another friend who lost her son...and my heart breaks for her and her family. O Lord Jesus, I know You are holding them closely...but might they feel it and know it. Give them strength, give them peace, give them a glimpse of You and enable them to experience as never before Your persevering, sustaining love.
And so a little postcard from the Father for all who feel weary in the battle--"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more."
The God of all grace and glory and power and wisdom and might and love is right there with you. He will not fail you now or ever. Keep fighting. Keep running. Keep persevering .Keep looking unto Him. He is mighty--not only to save but to sustain even in the fiercest fight.
To God be the glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment