On Life Between D-Day & V-Day

The gates of hell shall not prevail

(In the Meantime, Zwischenzeit)

Sixty-eight years ago wave upon wave of service members from The Greatest Generation assaulted beaches code-named Omaha and Utah to begin Operation Overlord. Overlord was the grand strategic step to establish a beachhead- foothold for the formal liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny.

One can only imagine the thoughts and anxieties of so many young Americans who were jostled about in the choppy Atlantic in their amphibious assault crafts. Many would be retching and spewing their vomitus on themselves and one another. As the assault ramps on their Higgins landing craft dropped into the surf, they would plunge forward into the cold waters. Slogging through the tide, they found themselves under withering enemy fire from the Normandy cliffs. Threading themselves through bands of beach obstacles and German artillery fire from pillboxes perched above them; these dog-faced soldiers began what their leader Genera Dwight Eisenhower called The Great Crusade.

The last full measure of devotion

By the declared end of Overlord some 2 million Allied plus fighting men had established themselves on western European soil at a cost of over 200,000 killed in action. If the beachhead had failed, it is doubtful that Hitler’s oppression and maniacal ambitions could have been halted. Driven by her commitment to our national values; propelled by our hatred of evil; urged on by our love of neighbor, America entered the ground war in Europe with the confidence that good would ultimately triumph over wickedness. Victory Day (V-day) would surely come.

Oscar Cullman, a 2oth century Lutheran New Testament teacher likened the Christian life as Zwischenzeit, the time between spiritual D-Day and V- Day. In terms of the believer’s experience this is the span of grace between the New Birth of our conversion by the Gospel, and our glorification in the eternal estate. We might also recognize the Meantime in the saving work of Christ, framed by His incarnation (a beachhead in humanity) and His Return (realizing the Resurrection victory when we are finally transformed in our whole person).  Our confidence to live out the meantime-ness of our faith comes from the objective victory over sin and death accomplished by Jesus on the cross.

On that basis alone can we advance on the objective of conformity to the likeness of Jesus for His glory; and execute our day -to-day maneuver toward fulfillment of The Great Commission. Each day we must preach the Gospel to ourselves, hearing the encouragement of the Apostle Paul: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58)

Celebrating Victory!

See you at the Potter’s wheel!

G.K. Sexton

Flash Mob Honors WWII Vets at Reagan Gate 38

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus

Philippians 3:14.