It was 1944, and Bert Frizen was an infantryman on the front lines in Europe. American forces had advanced in the face of intermittent shelling and small-arms fire throughout the morning hours, but now - all was quiet.
His patrol reached the edge of a wooded- area with an open field before them. Unknown to the Americans, a battery of Germans waited in a hedgerow about two hundred yards across the field.
Bert was one of two scouts who moved out into the clearing.
As Bert made his way across the open field, he pondered about how many of his fellow soildiers he had seen die in the past months of fierce fighting. He thought about all of the Germans he had killed himself. He thought about how the first one made him sick and made him vomit. He thought about how After a while he had become numb to the killing and how now, it didn’t even bother him. The only good German is a dead german he thought to himself.
Once he was halfway across the field, the remainder of his battalion followed. Suddenly the Germans opened fire, and machine gun fire ripped into both of Bert’s legs. He could feel the burning metal scorch through his flesh, ripping and taring through his lower extremities.
As Bert’s legs gave out beneath him, he fell to the ground. It felt as if he was falling in slow motion and as his body twisted-- he looked to the sky.
He somehow noticed through his pain how dark the sky was. The rest of his battalion fell back, withdrawing into the woods for protection, while a rapid exchange of fire continued.
Bert lay helplessly in a small stream- as shots volleyed overhead. Still he stared toward the grey sky as he wondered where his weapon had fell.
There seemed to be no way out. He shifted his eyes now toward the ground to look for his weapon. His hands and fingers had blindly- and frantically felt around searching for his M-1 grand.
To make matters worse, he now noticed that a German soldier was low crawling toward his position. The German had to have seen him. Death was now imminent. He closed his eyes and squeezed them in fear as he awaited his own execution.
To his surprise, a considerable period of time had passed- without the expected attack, so he ventured opening his eyes again. He was startled to see the German kneeling at his side, smiling.
His heart nearly leaped out of his chest and his mouth was completely dry. Somehow, in that very moment, he wondered if he had time to unsheathe the knife he carried on his belt.
He may still have one chance left to kill this German as he had so many before. Admittedly, He had been in very bad positions, but never did his own death seem so close. This could very well be his last breathe---if he could not find his dagger.
As his hands came up empty he closed his eyes again and exhaled.
He noticed that somehow he was able to take another breath and then He noticed that the shooting had stopped.
Troops from both sides of the battlefield watched anxiously. Without any verbal exchange, this mysterious German reached down to lift Bert in his arms and proceeded to carry him to the safety of Bert’s comrades.
Having accomplished his self-appointed mission, and still without speaking a word, the German soldier turned and walked back across the field to his own troop. No one dared break the silence of this sacred moment.
Bert could not speak. What was this that was happening? Why did this man do this? Why was he still alive? Why didn’t the German kill him? For that thought, Bert feared one of his comrades might shoot the German in his back – but no one did.
Moments later the cease-fire ended, but not before all those present had witnessed how one man risked everything for his enemy. Bert’s life was saved through the compassion of a man whom he considered his enemy.
This makes me ponder:
Would killing Bert have been justified? It’s only human to think that by killing Bert, the German would be settling the score. After all, this is war.
Didn’t Bert deserve to be killed? Hadn’t he killed Germans his self?
Why did this German let Bert live?
Even when Bert looked up to see the smiling German, he thought of killing him.
Why was this german smiling? Maybe the german had grown to enjoy killing. Maybe executing Bert would have felt like getting a trophy or maybe his smile showed the german was enjoying the thrill of the hunt.
All these things Bert thought, but never could Bert imagine that he was smiling with compassion.
This goes against our human nature.
Wouldn’t killing Bert be the right thing to do as a soldier? Isn’t killing someone in war a lawful order?
Maybe the German was just weak? Do you think that’s it?
Which action do we consider takes the most strength?
To take a man’s life who deserves to be killed? Or forgiving the man who has done us wrong?
It’s crazy the thoughts that we as mere human beings are able to justify. The fact is, this german could gave ended this story by just utilizing the few muscles it takes to operate a trigger finger. How much more of his strength and energy did it take to give this man mercy and show him compassion?
The average man weighs 179 pounds. The germans were 200 yards away and Bert had made it halfway across the field.
Simple math calculations tell me that this german had two choices.
Carry this man 100 yards, the length of one football field to safety or one tug of the finger?
How would you or I end it?
Which path do we choose? The one where we be justified or the one where God be glorified?
You see, not only did this german choose the path that cost him the most physicaly, he also chose the path that exposed his life to the greatest amount of risk and could have cost him his life.
If we had to assign a value to this man’s actions, or in other words we were going to give him a monetary award, what would it be? To us it may have been a dollar deed, but if Bert were here I bet he would argue that it was priceless…
If we ourselves think our own mortality is worth so much, what you or I be be willing to pay for the immortality of our souls?
The good news is Jesus already paid the price. The price was so high that there isn’t enough cash, silver or gold in all of the world to buy God off. God hates sin. That’s what seperates us as men from our creator.
Jesus paid the price and offers it freely… for what? For our love? We only love him because he first loved us. By loving God, By loving Jesus, we aren’t doing any body in heaver any favors.
Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
1. Jesus is the living waters. When he speaks of those that thirst, he is speaking to those who long to fill the emptiness in their heart. He is speaking to those who are being called by God. Isn’t it amazing that God calls each and every one of us? 6 Billion people on Earth and God is calling for you, even by name!
2. When Isaiah talks about those wine and milk, he is talking about riches in those days. It is the riches of God, but there is no price we can pay!
Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ( I think this may be my new favorite verse)
1. What a waste to spend our time and energy toward things of no heavenly value he is saying!
2. These things of the earth will not satisfy your soul
Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
1. God is offering us Salvation through the seed of David.
Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Isa 55:5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
1. Seek God early, now while he is calling you. There will come a day when we all kneel before the Lord. Don’t wait until that last moment of judgement to ask for his forgiveness. We all have an expiration date on this earth!
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1. Just like the German who saved Bert, God’s ways are higher than our ways, though God’s grace is infinite in comparison with that of the German.
Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
1. God is in control. There is nothing we can do to against God. The things we do against god are really only against ourselves. Also, we are not responsible for the harvesting of fruit. Our job is to simply be faithful with the seeds of faith. It is only through god that there is any increase.
2. But he also says that his word shall not return void. Every seed, if sewn in the truth of God for the glory of God will bring some sort of increase.
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