A Day of Infamy
Dec. 7, 1941
by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Well, the Christmas spirit is filling the air: the Television, radio and Internet airways, that is. I, as well, have begun to vocally expound yuletide tunes, as I make my scheduled rounds at various senior and Rehab. communities vocalizing Silver Bells, The Christmas Song, Deck The Halls, and many more. And we still have three more fun-filled weeks to go. I do always look forward to the Christmas Season!
It seems like every year we eagerly march pass another very important time in history: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Yup! The hype of getting ready for the holidays seem to shroud this Day in Infamy.
I will always stop to reflect on December 7, 1941; when we lost nearly 3,000 souls. My dad was there! He was a young sailor on the Battleship, Oklahoma. Thank heavens he survived the attack, as several torpedoes struck the ship and turned it over on to its top. Many were trapped below, but many dove off and some clung on until it was too late, and had to climb over, on to the outer, bottom haul of the ship; then diving off into the oily water, only (for many) to be killed by the enemy’s 50 caliber Zero aircraft, machine guns.
My dad survived all of that, and lived to eventually meet my mom a year later, married her and raised 6 children. He never talked about those tense moments. I tried to get him to tell me some of the stories, but the images that he saw was too much. As it is with many who experienced the evils and devastation of warfare. He is gone now, along with my mom. But I will always appreciate his sacrifice to keep us free.
Yes it was A Day of Infamy! President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke to the nation and reminded us of the importance of Freedom and Liberty; that we should never forget this tragic event. That we should stand up and fight for a greater cause, and with God’s help we will endure.
Through complacency and isolationism, America had become so rooted in self pity, stemming from the depression years, that most of the world branded us as weak; unable to cope with global problems. And so, chaos invaded our domain, in one devastating swoop.
Unfortunately evil does lurk in every direction. As the darkness of the universe is the norm; and will inundate into the light if not pushed away. And that is what God has been doing through out our entire geo-physical history. He is aware of the “nothingness” … of the emptiness … of the void. He is constantly warding them away. He never ceases to let go. Without His “touch” and; without His tender care, we are doomed. We would fall!
What happened on December 7th, 1941, should have been a reminder and a lesson: that it is always best to be strong, and to anticipate, that the root of evil is constantly tugging away at goodness.
Fortunately God is also fighting a war unseen by mortals. He had been accused of being weak and arbitrary by one of His created beings – Lucifer. His weakness? Free will. The forces of evil thinking that God allows all to do whatever one wants, whenever one pleases. Not the case! God’s government is based on Love, as well as Justice … and Righteousness. He manages a Kingdom that assures that all are treated with dignity and respect. It is a tightrope: to be Fair, and at the same time have Justice.
And when an accuser goes out of his way to bring down the Father. He is in for a big surprise.
Just as the Emperor of Japan and many of his military leaders, such as Admiral Yamamoto surmising that America was weak and incapacitated; they neglected to understand the underlying strength of a sleeping nation. That the people of the United States could stand up and defend its honor and dignity; to fight for truth, justice and freedom; enabling all to live in peace and harmony.
And that also is the purpose of who God is! He has instilled in all of His created beings the will to be free of tyrants and evildoers. We are made in His image. His character is echoed through our intellect and spirit.
We should always, somehow, be reminded of this fact: Keep the Fire brilliantly burning; keep the Light brightly shining; keep the rays of the Sun beaming. We must be on top of it at all times. December 7th is a reminder; September11th is a more recent reminder. We must be strong to deter those who want to devour and destroy our way of life.
Thank heaven God is (and will always) be there to assist us. You may not know it, but in a subtle, quiet, manner, He stands there beside us: all of us, and each of us!
Yes, it was a Day in Infamy! And we will never forget!
