D-Day and V-Day

On this Memorial Day weekend, I thank God for the men and women who have given their very lives to save and preserve the freedoms that we hold so dear. How easily we take this for granted, and yet we literally owe them everything. What a reminder this was to me as I read one of my favorite books of all time, Unbroken, about the remarkable life of Louis Zamperelli (I can't remember how to spell his name--sorry!). As I read of his service in WW II and his horrific imprisonment as POW in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, I was overcome with gratitude and wonder at the incredible strength, bravery, and sacrifices of our armed forces. Might we all stop and give thanks for such men and women who gave so inestimably much for those they would never ever know. And many of them suffered and died never knowing if their ultimate sacrifice would be worth it, and if the cause they died for would ultimately be victorious.

I recently read about something written by Oscar Cullmann, one of the great theologians who was born in Germany but came out of Switzerland during WW II. In his book, Christ and Time, he wrote about the 2 most crucial days in WW II: D-Day and V-Day. He points out that in any war, there is always a battle that determines the outcome of the war. In the Napoleonic Wars, it was Waterloo. In the Civil War, it was Gettsyburg. Sure, the war and bloodshed continued after both of these watershed battles, but after each, the ultimate outcome was clear. There was no doubt as to who would win.

D-Day was such a battle for WW II. On that June day when the Allied forces landed on the beaches in Normandy, everyone on both sides knew that this was the day when it would all be decided. If the Allies could establish a beachhead, they would win the war. If the Nazis could drive the Allies back into the sea, they would win. And praise God that after the terrible loss of life that desperately long day, the Allies established the beachhead. Interestingly, after that battle, Rommel, the head of the Nazi forces, secretly joined the plot to kill Hitler. Rommel knew that Germany had now effectively lost the war, but he also realized that Hitler would never give up and would continue to destroy his nation and her young men.

D-Day decided the outcome of the WW II, but between D-day and V-Day when the war actually ended, the battles and bloodshed and suffering continued unabated. Indeed, there was more death and devastation during that interlude than at any other time. Oscar Cullman commented that "We live between God's D-Day and God's V-Day." Jesus ultimately won the war at Calvary. The decisive battle was fought on the cross over 200o years ago, and the Resurrection proved once and for all that Jesus has defeated sin and death and satan. Satan cannot win the war, for he lost the decisive battle for the salvation of our souls. And one day every single knee will bow to the Lord Jesus. The kingdoms of the this world will become the kingdoms of our God, and the Lord will reign forever and ever! Alleluia!

But until that glorious day, we still live in between God's D-Day and V-Day. We still live in a fallen world where the innocent are murdered, where loved ones struggle with sickness, where pain and disappointment and fear and frustration seem to have the upper hand. But the Resurrection assures us that Christ will win the war, and we will reign with Him forever. Tony Compolo expressed it this way as he contemplated the events of 9-11: "We live in that anticipation of victory. So when we see evil rear its ugly head, when we see the horrors of of the World Trade buildings, we recognize the setback. We recognize the evil that was at work there. But we know that those evil forces have won a battle in a cause that they will ultimately lose. And it am here to declare that it is better to lose a battle in a cause that ultimately wins than to win a battle in a cause that ultimately loses... That is the good news of the gospel."

So, on this Memorial Day weekend, might we thank the Lord for the courage and sacrifice of those countless ones who died so that there could one day be a V-Day and a joyous future of freedom for all of us. And then might their sacrifice remind us of another even greater D-Day when Christ fought and defeated the assembled forces of satan and evil. We still live in between, and the days in between can be hard and fearful and discouraging. But that glorious V-Day is coming when He shall return and all, absolutely ALL, in creation shall be made eternally right and perfect. Never forget that after Good Friday came Easter morning! So even now, we say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" And to Him be the glory forever.