Some Things Don’t Change!

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” — Hebrews 4:12

We call it a Rapid Deployment Kit (RDK). And since 9/11, Military Ministry has provided 1.8 million of these RDKs to chaplains for distribution to our deploying service members. What are they? An RDK is a camouflaged Bible, a gospel tract, and a daily devotional written especially for military. These are put into a plastic bag, perfect for fitting in the cargo pocket of the combat uniform. The stories that we hear of what these life-changing, life-saving gifts mean to our service members are heart-warming and inspiring.

But these are not new stories—Bibles and tracts given to military members have been much in demand throughout history. I recently read some stories from a book entitled Christ in the Camp. Compiled in 1887, Christ in the Camp is a book of letters and stories of spiritual fervency among the troops which were edited by Chaplain J. Williams Jones of the Army of Northern Virginia. Chaplain Jones foreword states, “To my comrades and to workers among the chaplains, missionaries, and colporters, of the Army of Northern Virginia, and of other Confederate armies, who labored faithfully in that great harvest field of souls, this book is affectionately dedicated by the author, in the confident hope that as we cherish hallowed memories of those days of toil, but of precious blessings, so we will over there enjoy sweet communion with each other as we shall talk over the wonderful manner in which Christ was in our camp, to save the penitent, to strengthen the true Christian and to make even battlefield and hospital bright and glorious by His presence.” Times haven’t changed much, have they?

Perhaps it would challenge our hearts to hear some Civil War stories—stories of “Rapid Deployment Kits” shared one hundred and fifty years ago:

“The following is from Rev. J.C. Hiden, who was laboring as chaplain in the Wise Legion: ‘Can’t you send me some Testaments and tracts? They are greatly needed in the army. Vast numbers of our soldiers have none. I was walking along near camp the other day, with some tracts under my arm, when a man on horseback said to me: ‘Give me one of those to read, so as to keep me out of devilment.’ ‘Twas a rough way of expressing a good idea, I thought. Of course I gave him one, and immediately the soldiers were swarming around me, desiring to be furnished, and were sadly disappointed when they saw that my supply was exhausted. I turned away with a sad heart to see so many hungering in vain for that which was able to make them wise unto salvation.’” p. 175.

“As some of the Confederate troops were marching through Fredericksburg, Virginia, with bristling bayonets and rumbling artillery, a fair lady appeared on the steps of a dark brown mansion, her arms filled with Testaments, which with gracious kindness and gentle courtesy she distributed to the passing soldiers. The eagerness with which they were received, the pressing throng, the outstretched hands, the earnest thanks, the unspoken blessings upon the giver, thus dispensing the word of life to the armed multitude, to whom death might come at any moment, all made up a picture as beautiful as any that ever shone out amid the dark scenes of war.” p. 154.

“There is a general demand in the army for small Bibles. I have daily applications from soldiers so eager to get them that they frequently say they will give several months’ wages for one.. . . Almost every family might (by a little sacrifice) spare one or more small Bibles. A lady sent me the other day a Bible, owned by her nephew, a noble Christian soldier, who carried it in nine battles, and had it in his pocket when he fell at Sharpsburg. It was to her a precious relic, and yet she was willing to give it up, that its glorious light might illumine the pathway of some other soldier.” p. 154.

Six hundred and twenty-four pages of documented stories of “faith in the foxhole” during the Civil War makes for interesting, but not “light”, reading. Looking back at how the book began, however, I would hope that we would never take for granted the power of the very word of God “to save the penitent, to strengthen the true Christian, and to make even battlefield and hospital bright and glorious by His presence.” To God be the Glory.

Questions to share:

1. What do you think it means in Hebrews that the word of God is “living and active?”

2. Do you and your spouse read verses from the Bible “together” and discuss what they mean to you? Would that be an idea for communicating throughout your deployment time?