I ventured into the military ministry as a chaplain hoping to ignite a passion for our Lord Jesus Christ amongst our Marines and Sailors, but what I’ve encountered here is a devoted group of Marines and Sailors seeking to ignite a passion in me! The Lord is doing a great work out here. I say, “The Lord is doing a great work” because many of the believers with whom I interact have not necessarily had even a portion of the great Biblical teaching many of us may be use to having. These sweet believers simply love God’s Word and love their Savior, Jesus. In fact, their hunger to grow is addicting. Whenever I am willing to teach the Bible, they’re there. Whenever I am willing to talk about the cross, they listen.
As many of you know, I left Okinawa almost the minute we landed – at least it felt like that! I boarded the USS Germantown in support of the 31rst Marine Expeditionary Unit to sail into the sunset bound for various Asian countries to train and build national relations. Obviously, leaving my precious wife this time was one of the hardest things I have done in a long time: Would I be able to communicate with her? Would she be okay in a foreign land on her own? Will the Lord sustain our marriage? The burden was all too difficult for me, but as we know, the Lord is in the business of giving grace and strength in time of weakness. And he has. My wife becomes more precious to me as each day passes by.
The days are so extremely busy I have lost track of time. Before I know it I’m in bed again ready to end the day and start the next. My days are filled with counseling, Bible teaching, giving a defense of the faith, and figuring out how to navigate through a somewhat unfamiliar environment. The Marines and Sailors knock on my door at all times of the day with various issues, anything from manic depression to dealing with a death of a close relative. I love the privilege to be a conduit of God’s love to these men and women who come to see me. I listen, I weep, I rejoice, and I always seek to bring the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to bear on their situation. What a fantastic opportunity!
Every night I hold Bible studies for whoever might come, sometimes one, sometimes ten. I teach expositionally, verse by verse, through various portions of Scripture as well as field their various Biblical questions. They love it. They are so faithful to come. They’re hungry – and sometimes they won’t leave!
I regularly walk around to the various work areas of the Marines to “shoot the breeze.” What often happens? They bring up a religious question “they’ve always wanted to ask.” I’ll find myself surrounded by four or five guys listening in as by God’s grace I give a defense of the faith. What a work the Lord is doing.
As I write this, I am sweating in the hot Thailand sun in the middle of no where under a make-shift tent surrounded by tanks driving by, jets flying over, artillery sounding off in the distance, and the hum of Marines chattering around me. I conducted my first “field” service this morning and will duplicate it tonight for the Marines who were on the riffle range all day. We sang Holy, Holy, Holy, and How Great is our God, read allowed the Apostles Creed, and I even found a Sailor who sang Before the Throne of God above as a solo. I preached from Matthew 1:18-25 on the Valentine that surpasses all Valentines, the God who lovingly sent his Son as a wrath-bearer for our sins!
I pray for you all and find myself holding you dearer each day in my heart. Being away from the comfort of sweet friends and family is hard, but we gather to depart and depart to gather, waiting for the blessed return of our Lord Jesus Christ.