I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
Patton’s Training Letter 5 went on to state:
“Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle. Pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose good is oppression. Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace.
We must march together, all out for God. The soldier who ‘cracks up’ does not need sympathy or comfort as much as he needs strength. We are not trying to make the best of these days. It is our job to make the most of them. Now is not the time to follow God from ‘afar off.’ This Army needs the assurance and the faith that God is with us. With prayer, we cannot fail.”
Sure enough, under the cover of bad weather, a surprise and powerful German counterattack came on December 16th, 1944 against a disadvantaged Allied force. Four days later, as the Allies were reaching the breaking point, the skies unexpectedly and uncharacteristically cleared. For the next week, Allied airpower dominated the skies, resupplied the troops, and wrecked havoc on the German forces. Cleared weather allowed brave Allied ground forces to turn the tide on the Germans. At Patton’s next encounter with Chaplain O’Neill, he said “well Padre, our prayers worked. I knew they would.” Indeed!
Now is not the time to follow God from ‘afar off.’ Instead, it is the time to pray without ceasing. It is time to make the most of these days. We must march together, all out for God. Our prayers will work.
PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO MARCH TOGETHER, ALL OUT FOR GOD. As we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we must cling to His power to turn the tide of our conflict. We must have the assurance and the faith that God is with us. With prayer, we cannot fail.
Have a blessed Christmas!
