The Wounded Soldier

Flipping through the hymnal I found several hymns that have a soldier reference. These are referring to us, the believers, being soldiers of the cross marching into battle and being victorious. Probably the most famous is “Onward Christian Soldiers”. In this we march “as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before’. Unlike regular wars that pit people against people, this war is spiritual and we fight the forces of darkness. But most of the songs paint a picture of a well-trained army marching toward and through enemy lines with ease, just like the biggest kid in the playground as he breaks the hand in hand chain of a Red Rover game.


What they don’t tell you is that there are far more wounded than there are the strong and powerful super-warrior who battles their way through the throng of enemies suffering only a drop of blood on the lip. Which by the way, is usually wiped off by the beautiful damsel right before the scene-ending kiss.

I am one of those wounded. And I would venture a guess that you are as well. Life has a way of doing that to you. Whether it is job issues, family issues, personal issue, or issues of the heart and soul, eventually they will wear you down. It wounds us just as a soldier who has been shot in the leg and arm in the midst of a furious battle.

And yet we fight on. Why? Because we must. There are other soldiers who need us. We must continue on and finish no matter how hurt or wounded we get. We are like “Rocky” who wanted to be standing at the end of the 15th round. We are like the marathon runner, exhausted from the grueling race, yet finishes only to collapse on the other side of the tape.

So we too, must finish. We must drag our broken bodies, and as we go we are helping and encouraging our fellow soldiers to finish, to endure to the end. And together, victorious we come. Limping into Heaven.