via TJC
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. -Hebrews 11:1
“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,” -Proverbs 3:13
The following is a story of an imagined participant in the Battle of Gettysburg. This battle was a turning point for the United States, and the hopes and dreams of those involved are landmarks to the heart and soul of our nation. In anticipation of our annual Gettysburg battlefield training, TJC authors have taken creative liberty to generate some of those hopes, informed by history, that resonate through generations to our present time. Our hope is that it ministers to your spirit.
David Arthur Betts, a Confederate infantryman, was encamped with his division on the evening of 2 July, 1863 in a field near Ziegler’s Grove. Under Generals Pickett and Longstreet, his unit would be part of a bloody, ill-fated assault on the Union line at Cemetery Ridge tomorrow, sustaining around 50% casualties. In the temporary stillness, he pens a letter to his wife:
My dearest Laura,
Love and greetings to you and the children. I am thankful to be unharmed from what little fighting I have experienced to this point. However, we are told that this will change on the morrow. Your prayers and those of our extended family are sincerely and warmly felt and greatly appreciated.
There are rumblings in the ranks that even General Longstreet himself is doubtful of a favorable outcome from tomorrow’s maneuver. Most of the men in my encampment are not sure what to make of that. To say the least, it’s quite unsettling.
Aside from that, I am having my own personal doubts about the purpose of this war and its benefit to the South, more importantly… its benefit to the purposes of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and His Church. I share that thought, knowing that you will keep it in confidence until I am, God willing, safely back home in Jonesboro. Having never been able to afford much land (let alone slaves) my family seems to not have a dog in this fight. I have always known slavery is wrong. Carpetbaggers are a scourge on my beloved homeland, but God never meant for a man to own another man. I’m told by my family that we have almost as many relatives in the Union forces as there are in the Confederacy. As a Christian, I wonder how I have arrived at this point in my existence.
That said, at this point I feel as if I have little choice in the matter. We’re told that “Deserters forfeit their right to due process”. In any case, I will endeavor to persevere and seek God’s will through His sovereign guidance. Tomorrow we march into the heart of that blue sea of humanity, hoping to survive the onslaught and come out the other side with an understanding of its purpose. If that is not the outcome, I shall see you on the other side.
Your loving husband,
Arthur
DAILY BATTLE ORDER:
In the face of your personal onslaught, will you seek God’s guidance as you “endeavor to persevere”? What an odd predicament Arthur Betts was in at that point in his life. As a Kingdom Man, train yourself to never hesitate to seek first His righteousness, and draw on His wisdom. “How do I do that?” you might ask. Spend time at His feet, learning from His words (scripture). “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
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SIGN UP FOR GETTYSBURG: Calling all Kingdom Men! The Joshua Commission will hold its annual Gettysburg Battlefield training 15-16 October or meet us on the battlefield on 16 October at 0830
https://joshuacommission.org/gettysburg-battlefield-training-2021/
Click the link above to sign up. Please join us in Gettysburg, experience genuine fellowship with Christian men, and equip yourself for Victory as a prince and warrior in God’s kingdom!
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