Monday, June 26, 2017
554 - Run to the Gunfire
Spirituality
Column No. 554
June 27, 2017
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
He served in Viet Nam as a captain in the U.S. Army Rangers and later told the gripping story of his entire unit being surrounded and pinned down in the jungle by Viet Cong gunfire in what was surely a no-survivor situation. Though Dale ultimately lost part of his lower leg in the battle, he and others did survive because they courageously “ran toward the gunfire” in attack rather than either attempting retreat or staying put.
It is a truly spellbinding tale of courage and I heard Dale present it at a speakers’ convention here in Indianapolis nearly two decades ago. Over the years Dale traveled worldwide with his “Courage Builders” message, and folks here in Indianapolis might remember Dale as president (1993-2002) of the downtown Christian “Lighthouse Mission”, a men’s shelter and neighborhood food pantry. I made a point to get to know Dale and we wound up working together on his pitch to NASCAR to do food drives for local charities at its racing events nationwide. It was a great idea that NASCAR eventually picked up on elsewhere, but my great benefit was getting to know Dale.
A couple of years later as a fresh-to-the-faith churchgoer in 2001, I walked into an East 91st Street Christian Church Sunday school class and there sat Dale and his wife. They soon moved to a mountain home in the Carolinas, but through emails and later Facebook we stayed in touch. In 2003 or so I caught wind of the astute Christian devotional Dale authors weekdays called “Sunrise Courage Builders.”
I still read it every day.
The “Sunrise Courage Builders” email arrives Monday-Friday around 5 a.m. and is simply one line of scripture and one “P.S.” comment or question from Dale. It always elicits a few good minutes of reflection and prayer. I loved this recent “Courage Builder”:
This query got me going because “all of the things we must do” forms a very Dale-like trick question. The truth – if what Jesus tells us throughout the Gospels can be trusted (and I’m here to tell you it can) – is that “all of the things” is a pretty short list.
Your “all things” list may be different, but here is mine: Love, Trust, Believe.
You know: Have faith … in Jesus Christ. That’s it. That’s all we can do.
Jesus on the cross is our forgiveness. It is one of those divine actions that happened – as the Bible repeatedly says – “once for all” but concurrently is an eternal action of the grace of Jesus Christ. So, the correct answer? There is nothing we can “do” for our forgiveness because Jesus already did it all. Our single task and challenge is to accept the truth of Christ, not to keep asking for forgiveness that already is ours.
In Christ, we can run confidently toward the gunfire of life not bound up with guilt and inadequate apologies for our sin, but with boundless courage in His truth.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that you can request the Sunrise Courage Builder daily devotional email at collie@couragebuilders.com.
June 27, 2017
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
Run to the Gunfire
By
Bob Walters
My
friend Dale Collie made a good living for many years as a professional speaker.
He served in Viet Nam as a captain in the U.S. Army Rangers and later told the gripping story of his entire unit being surrounded and pinned down in the jungle by Viet Cong gunfire in what was surely a no-survivor situation. Though Dale ultimately lost part of his lower leg in the battle, he and others did survive because they courageously “ran toward the gunfire” in attack rather than either attempting retreat or staying put.
It is a truly spellbinding tale of courage and I heard Dale present it at a speakers’ convention here in Indianapolis nearly two decades ago. Over the years Dale traveled worldwide with his “Courage Builders” message, and folks here in Indianapolis might remember Dale as president (1993-2002) of the downtown Christian “Lighthouse Mission”, a men’s shelter and neighborhood food pantry. I made a point to get to know Dale and we wound up working together on his pitch to NASCAR to do food drives for local charities at its racing events nationwide. It was a great idea that NASCAR eventually picked up on elsewhere, but my great benefit was getting to know Dale.
A couple of years later as a fresh-to-the-faith churchgoer in 2001, I walked into an East 91st Street Christian Church Sunday school class and there sat Dale and his wife. They soon moved to a mountain home in the Carolinas, but through emails and later Facebook we stayed in touch. In 2003 or so I caught wind of the astute Christian devotional Dale authors weekdays called “Sunrise Courage Builders.”
I still read it every day.
The “Sunrise Courage Builders” email arrives Monday-Friday around 5 a.m. and is simply one line of scripture and one “P.S.” comment or question from Dale. It always elicits a few good minutes of reflection and prayer. I loved this recent “Courage Builder”:
"All the
prophets testify about [Jesus] that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name." Acts 10:43
P.S. What are all of the things you must do to
receive forgiveness
of sins?
of sins?
This query got me going because “all of the things we must do” forms a very Dale-like trick question. The truth – if what Jesus tells us throughout the Gospels can be trusted (and I’m here to tell you it can) – is that “all of the things” is a pretty short list.
Your “all things” list may be different, but here is mine: Love, Trust, Believe.
You know: Have faith … in Jesus Christ. That’s it. That’s all we can do.
Jesus on the cross is our forgiveness. It is one of those divine actions that happened – as the Bible repeatedly says – “once for all” but concurrently is an eternal action of the grace of Jesus Christ. So, the correct answer? There is nothing we can “do” for our forgiveness because Jesus already did it all. Our single task and challenge is to accept the truth of Christ, not to keep asking for forgiveness that already is ours.
In Christ, we can run confidently toward the gunfire of life not bound up with guilt and inadequate apologies for our sin, but with boundless courage in His truth.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes that you can request the Sunrise Courage Builder daily devotional email at collie@couragebuilders.com.