RR FREEDOM: GIVING THANKS, PAYING HONOR (Part 1) By Dr. Raymond Finney
Shavuah Tov,
The Apostle Paul gave advice for gracious living. (Romans 13:7: Pay to everyone what is due them— tribute to whom tribute is due; tax to whom tax is due; respect to whom respect is due; honor to whom honor is due.) We should honor those who willingly face injury or death to protect us, but we too often fail.
TO WHOM SHOULD WE PAY HONOR? We Americans are a most blessed, privileged people. God has showered favor on our land founded on Judeo-Christian principles. One of America’s most cherished gifts is freedom. America’s founding documents repeatedly promote and guarantee freedom as a gift of God.
Our enemies would abolish our God-given blessings, including freedom. Our enemies would make us a Godless nation. To keep our faith alive and strong, we must be ever-vigilant, as individuals and as members of Messianic and Christian communities. We depend on fellow Believers and leaders for strength and guidance. (Hebrews 10:25: And do not neglect our own meetings, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another— and all the more so as you see the Day approaching.)
Hostile nations would abolish our Constitutional freedoms and enslave us in their political ideologies. We must be ever-vigilant in voting, supporting leaders who put the nation ahead of their selfish, greedy political ambitions. In addition to political leaders, we must depend on men and women in military and community protection services-- our honored heroes. And, of course, we must depend most of all on God. (Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.)
The greatest responsibilities of government are not such things as public radio or cost of healthcare insurance, but providing safety (security) for its citizens. America provides such security at great cost by creating the best military the world has ever known. Veterans Day should be special recognition for military men and women who are on active duty, discharged (veterans), or dead (whether from natural cause or the result of war).
VETERANS DAY. America will observe Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Veterans Day always falls on November 11, which commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the November 11, 1918 armistice, ceasing hostile action between Allied nations and Germany and ending World War I. Many Americans will see this day as just another day, a day when postal service is suspended and some workers do not report for work. Many Americans do not realize why we observe this holiday. Many Americans do not appreciate the sacrifices made by other American men and women to keep America free and strong. Shamefully, far too many Americans despise the very men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.
With Veterans Day being near, I wish to discuss the men and women who fill the ranks of our military and community protection services. They are our heroes. NOTE: Veterans Day is officially intended for military personnel. In this RR, I include men and women in community protection (law enforcement officers, firefighters, etc.) because their dangerous duties provide domestic stability and freedom. I started listing the military and community protection units, but soon realized I would mistakenly omit some groups. You know the names of many of these groups, and my recounting them (with inadvertent omissions) will serve no purpose.
If you have never been to your local Veterans Day observance, please do so. There, veterans will be present to recall battles long fought, freedoms firmly secured, and comrades-in-arms (their friends) who were killed or horrendously injured in battle. A bugler will play “Taps” to honor the dead. Few songs will ever sound as poignant or cause a larger lump in your throat than to stand among living veterans (our living heroes), as they hear “Taps” and remember those who died by their side and silently think, “There but for the grace of God....”
All World War I veterans are now dead. Fewer World War II veterans are found yearly at these celebrations. Soon, they will all be gone, too. It is an honor to listen to the veterans’ recollections. A survivor of the Bataan Death March told me of his horrific ordeal, after his capture by the imperial Japanese army (January, 1942).
AMERICAS WAR COSTS. A well-known statement of freedom’s cost is attributed to US Air Force Colonel Walter Hitchcock, who describes the heartbreaking toll of free Americans’ lives to preserve liberty throughout our land. Colonel Hitchcock’s motto, now engraved into the Korean War Memorial, is: “Freedom is not free.” America’s freedom has been purchased with the costliest “currency” of all– human blood.
America has indeed suffered a heavy death toll of men and women from wars. More than 1.1-million Americans have died in war. (For comparison, the population of Knox County, TN is approximately 570,000. If every man, woman, and child in Knox County died, that number of corpses would equal only half the number of our war dead.) Although delayed deaths related to war injuries would add to these statistics, the following death tolls (actual, estimated) have been attributed to wars (listed in descending order by number of deaths): American Civil War (North/South, 1861-1865) – 620,000 || World War II (1939-1945) – 405,399 || World War I (1917-1918) – 116,566 || Vietnam War (1965-1973) – 58,209 || Korean War (1950-1953) – 36,516 || American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) – 25,000 || War of 1812 (1812-1815) – 20,000 || Mexican-American War (1846-1848) – 13,283 || War on Terror (2001-present) – 7,091 || Spanish-American War (1898) – 2,446. Americans not dying still live with horrendous physical and psychological injuries that haunt their daily lives, even leading some to suicide. The nation’s treasury has been heavily plundered by war costs– costs necessary to protect Americans from their enemies but costs which could have been spent for our citizens’ needs (health, education, housing, etc.).
If you have not seen this memorial but visit Washington, DC in the future, please visit the Vietnam War Memorial. When I read that the memorial was planned and read what was to be built, I thought what a dumb idea. I was wrong. Although the memorial is simple in design, it lists the more than 58-thousand Americans killed in that tragic war. There is hushed quietness among those viewing the memorial. People take pencil rubbings (frottage) of names of loved ones slain in battle and engraved in the granite walls. Visitors trace over the polished granite with their fingers until stopping at a name carved in the cold stone; then, they may burst into tears over a death that occurred decades ago. Visitors quietly sob at the lost lives which still rip out their hearts. These visitors attest to the statement, “Freedom is not free.” For these visitors, the cost of freedom has included the dearest treasures they owned– the lives of persons they loved dearly.
The Vietnam Memorial is not dumb, as I first imagined, but is an effective tribute. The last time I saw the memorial, someone had left a handwritten note at the base of the memorial. The note read something like: “To Sergeant ****, Please forgive me for what I didn’t do on the evening of ****. s/ PFC ****” Decades after the war, this former soldier was still guilt-ridden for an action he did not take that may have saved the life of his sergeant. When I read the note, I felt like crying.
Many veterans are burdened with guilt for what they did or did not do in war. Far too many commit suicide. Mission Roll Call sums up veterans’ suicides: “Veteran suicide is a national emergency— one that demands urgency, transparency, and a unified response. While increased funding, new legislation, and executive commitments show promise, the core challenge remains unchanged: far too many of our nation’s veterans are dying by suicide, and we have yet to shift the trend meaningfully.”
There are many suicide prevention helplines available. If you are a veteran or a family member or friend of a veteran who might be contemplating suicide, the Veterans Administration (VA) maintains suicide prevention programs to try to get a depressed person’s mind in a better place. To talk to someone for help, CALL 988 and press 1. Or, CHAT at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/ . Or, TEXT 838255 and enter the word HELP. If there is hearing loss, use TTY 711, then enter 988. There is no need to be enrolled in any VA insurance, benefits, or healthcare program to receive help. Help is free and confidential. See: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/suicide-prevention-month-veteran-resources/ .
Few people want war less and condemn it more than men and women who have survived front-line combat. General William Tecumseh Sherman, who commanded a Northern army during bloody civil war battles, summed up war: “You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is hell!”
TO BE CONTINUED. If you can do so on November 11, spend a little time in appreciation and thanksgiving prayer for the countless number of men and women who have served and are serving in military and community protection services to protect you and your family from danger. You will join other patriots in paying honor to those who deserve honor. We will never fully appreciate how the sacrifices of our heroes have protected and still protect us. As we reflect on the heroism of America’s military and community protection personnel, the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a speech (August 20, 1940) before the UK Parliament to praise the Royal Air Force’s fight against the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain seem appropriate: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much been owed by so many to so few.” And, thank God for our nation and freedom!
I will continue with other RRs to discuss war and warriors from a Believer’s perspective. The end of the age will be marked by man’s cruelest inhumanities against man– war. (Matthew 24:6: [Yeshua said] “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must happen but it is not yet the end.”) Until we meet on November 16 to once again share the privilege of studying God’s precious Word, Shalom and Maranatha.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun2-Nov-202511th of Cheshvan, 5786
Ge 18:1-14Jos 22Ps 22Mt 15(1 Jn 3)
The Apostle Paul gave advice for gracious living. (Romans 13:7: Pay to everyone what is due them— tribute to whom tribute is due; tax to whom tax is due; respect to whom respect is due; honor to whom honor is due.) We should honor those who willingly face injury or death to protect us, but we too often fail.
TO WHOM SHOULD WE PAY HONOR? We Americans are a most blessed, privileged people. God has showered favor on our land founded on Judeo-Christian principles. One of America’s most cherished gifts is freedom. America’s founding documents repeatedly promote and guarantee freedom as a gift of God.
Our enemies would abolish our God-given blessings, including freedom. Our enemies would make us a Godless nation. To keep our faith alive and strong, we must be ever-vigilant, as individuals and as members of Messianic and Christian communities. We depend on fellow Believers and leaders for strength and guidance. (Hebrews 10:25: And do not neglect our own meetings, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another— and all the more so as you see the Day approaching.)
Hostile nations would abolish our Constitutional freedoms and enslave us in their political ideologies. We must be ever-vigilant in voting, supporting leaders who put the nation ahead of their selfish, greedy political ambitions. In addition to political leaders, we must depend on men and women in military and community protection services-- our honored heroes. And, of course, we must depend most of all on God. (Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.)
The greatest responsibilities of government are not such things as public radio or cost of healthcare insurance, but providing safety (security) for its citizens. America provides such security at great cost by creating the best military the world has ever known. Veterans Day should be special recognition for military men and women who are on active duty, discharged (veterans), or dead (whether from natural cause or the result of war).
VETERANS DAY. America will observe Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Veterans Day always falls on November 11, which commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the November 11, 1918 armistice, ceasing hostile action between Allied nations and Germany and ending World War I. Many Americans will see this day as just another day, a day when postal service is suspended and some workers do not report for work. Many Americans do not realize why we observe this holiday. Many Americans do not appreciate the sacrifices made by other American men and women to keep America free and strong. Shamefully, far too many Americans despise the very men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.
With Veterans Day being near, I wish to discuss the men and women who fill the ranks of our military and community protection services. They are our heroes. NOTE: Veterans Day is officially intended for military personnel. In this RR, I include men and women in community protection (law enforcement officers, firefighters, etc.) because their dangerous duties provide domestic stability and freedom. I started listing the military and community protection units, but soon realized I would mistakenly omit some groups. You know the names of many of these groups, and my recounting them (with inadvertent omissions) will serve no purpose.
If you have never been to your local Veterans Day observance, please do so. There, veterans will be present to recall battles long fought, freedoms firmly secured, and comrades-in-arms (their friends) who were killed or horrendously injured in battle. A bugler will play “Taps” to honor the dead. Few songs will ever sound as poignant or cause a larger lump in your throat than to stand among living veterans (our living heroes), as they hear “Taps” and remember those who died by their side and silently think, “There but for the grace of God....”
All World War I veterans are now dead. Fewer World War II veterans are found yearly at these celebrations. Soon, they will all be gone, too. It is an honor to listen to the veterans’ recollections. A survivor of the Bataan Death March told me of his horrific ordeal, after his capture by the imperial Japanese army (January, 1942).
AMERICAS WAR COSTS. A well-known statement of freedom’s cost is attributed to US Air Force Colonel Walter Hitchcock, who describes the heartbreaking toll of free Americans’ lives to preserve liberty throughout our land. Colonel Hitchcock’s motto, now engraved into the Korean War Memorial, is: “Freedom is not free.” America’s freedom has been purchased with the costliest “currency” of all– human blood.
America has indeed suffered a heavy death toll of men and women from wars. More than 1.1-million Americans have died in war. (For comparison, the population of Knox County, TN is approximately 570,000. If every man, woman, and child in Knox County died, that number of corpses would equal only half the number of our war dead.) Although delayed deaths related to war injuries would add to these statistics, the following death tolls (actual, estimated) have been attributed to wars (listed in descending order by number of deaths): American Civil War (North/South, 1861-1865) – 620,000 || World War II (1939-1945) – 405,399 || World War I (1917-1918) – 116,566 || Vietnam War (1965-1973) – 58,209 || Korean War (1950-1953) – 36,516 || American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) – 25,000 || War of 1812 (1812-1815) – 20,000 || Mexican-American War (1846-1848) – 13,283 || War on Terror (2001-present) – 7,091 || Spanish-American War (1898) – 2,446. Americans not dying still live with horrendous physical and psychological injuries that haunt their daily lives, even leading some to suicide. The nation’s treasury has been heavily plundered by war costs– costs necessary to protect Americans from their enemies but costs which could have been spent for our citizens’ needs (health, education, housing, etc.).
If you have not seen this memorial but visit Washington, DC in the future, please visit the Vietnam War Memorial. When I read that the memorial was planned and read what was to be built, I thought what a dumb idea. I was wrong. Although the memorial is simple in design, it lists the more than 58-thousand Americans killed in that tragic war. There is hushed quietness among those viewing the memorial. People take pencil rubbings (frottage) of names of loved ones slain in battle and engraved in the granite walls. Visitors trace over the polished granite with their fingers until stopping at a name carved in the cold stone; then, they may burst into tears over a death that occurred decades ago. Visitors quietly sob at the lost lives which still rip out their hearts. These visitors attest to the statement, “Freedom is not free.” For these visitors, the cost of freedom has included the dearest treasures they owned– the lives of persons they loved dearly.
The Vietnam Memorial is not dumb, as I first imagined, but is an effective tribute. The last time I saw the memorial, someone had left a handwritten note at the base of the memorial. The note read something like: “To Sergeant ****, Please forgive me for what I didn’t do on the evening of ****. s/ PFC ****” Decades after the war, this former soldier was still guilt-ridden for an action he did not take that may have saved the life of his sergeant. When I read the note, I felt like crying.
Many veterans are burdened with guilt for what they did or did not do in war. Far too many commit suicide. Mission Roll Call sums up veterans’ suicides: “Veteran suicide is a national emergency— one that demands urgency, transparency, and a unified response. While increased funding, new legislation, and executive commitments show promise, the core challenge remains unchanged: far too many of our nation’s veterans are dying by suicide, and we have yet to shift the trend meaningfully.”
There are many suicide prevention helplines available. If you are a veteran or a family member or friend of a veteran who might be contemplating suicide, the Veterans Administration (VA) maintains suicide prevention programs to try to get a depressed person’s mind in a better place. To talk to someone for help, CALL 988 and press 1. Or, CHAT at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/ . Or, TEXT 838255 and enter the word HELP. If there is hearing loss, use TTY 711, then enter 988. There is no need to be enrolled in any VA insurance, benefits, or healthcare program to receive help. Help is free and confidential. See: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/suicide-prevention-month-veteran-resources/ .
Few people want war less and condemn it more than men and women who have survived front-line combat. General William Tecumseh Sherman, who commanded a Northern army during bloody civil war battles, summed up war: “You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is hell!”
TO BE CONTINUED. If you can do so on November 11, spend a little time in appreciation and thanksgiving prayer for the countless number of men and women who have served and are serving in military and community protection services to protect you and your family from danger. You will join other patriots in paying honor to those who deserve honor. We will never fully appreciate how the sacrifices of our heroes have protected and still protect us. As we reflect on the heroism of America’s military and community protection personnel, the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a speech (August 20, 1940) before the UK Parliament to praise the Royal Air Force’s fight against the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain seem appropriate: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much been owed by so many to so few.” And, thank God for our nation and freedom!
I will continue with other RRs to discuss war and warriors from a Believer’s perspective. The end of the age will be marked by man’s cruelest inhumanities against man– war. (Matthew 24:6: [Yeshua said] “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must happen but it is not yet the end.”) Until we meet on November 16 to once again share the privilege of studying God’s precious Word, Shalom and Maranatha.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun2-Nov-202511th of Cheshvan, 5786
Ge 18:1-14Jos 22Ps 22Mt 15(1 Jn 3)
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