THE DAY YOU ENLISTED
I remember when I enlisted in the U.S. Army. It was at the height of the Viet Nam War. The year was 1967. I had a draft number and was probably going to be drafted – so I went down to the army recruiter and enlisted for three years. I signed on the dotted line, and before I knew it I was headed to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the home of the Screaming Eagles (101st airborne). And there was a whole lot of screaming going on as they whipped us into shape for war.
I remember that day. I also remember the day I knelt down by my couch and signed up for God’s Army. I remember asking Him into my heart and asking Him to forgive my sins and I remember committing my life to Him. I remember a few months later surrendering everything to Jesus and being filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit. I didn’t know what you called those things; didn’t have the theology down--didn’t have the head knowledge--but the experiences were real. You don’t have to understand it intellectually to experience it spiritually. It isn’t a mind thing; it is a heart thing. Understanding may come later, though many people understand and then experience. And we need to grow in knowledge, the Bible says. (2 Peter 3:18)
Those are significant events in my life. You ought to know when, maybe even WHERE you crossed over from death to life. You ought to know when you signed on the dotted line and enlisted in the Lord’s Army. If you don’t--if you can’t remember--then maybe you haven’t. And you should. The bible says, "TODAY is the day of salvation." Do it today before you go home. We need to clearly and purposefully enlist; we need to clearly invite Jesus in. We need to clearly reject the world and our sin and commit our lives to Christ.