The Original Purple Heart

Introduction An Invitation to Ponder Those of us fortunate enough to have been born into the United States of America are familiar with the figure of a man dressed in a red, white, and blue jacket. This white-haired gentleman is often depicted tipping his striped top hat and pointing a finger at the onlooker. The caption underneath this portrait screams, “I Want You!” Even children learn at an early age to recognize this imposing character. His robust declaration is an urgent plea that your military service is required in the armed forces of your country. You are free to choose which branch of the military you wish to serve in should you join. This man is known as Uncle Sam. A more staggering thought than that is this: every moment you draw breath in this present existence, no matter what country you reside in, there are unseen forces that vie ceaselessly for your allegiance. This competition takes place between two spiritually powerful entities. You were born into this all-out skirmish. You did not make a choice to be born or not to be born. You do, however, have the option, exclusively through your humanity, to choose which power will receive your eternal soul upon your physical death. The two entities that constantly campaign for your devotion are Father God and his archenemy, Satan. Keep this in mind: God is the all-knowing and all-powerful entity, and He has already won the war. However, God is allowing this battle to endure for a brief time to give each person a chance to make their own choice. Remember, God has always been—He has no beginning or end. He is eternal. Satan, however, is a created being, and he will be destroyed in the future. Most people know something about the validity of a spiritual component to humankind’s existence. However, most do not know that we are born with a sinful nature. Each person born must make a choice. Either we remain under the domain of Satan, or we choose to accept God’s plan of salvation. We must make a conscious choice to be reborn into a relationship with God. God Himself ordains every human life born to this present reality. We each, however, must elect to live with Him in eternity. Refusing to believe this will not negate the truth of it. Ignoring this facet of our existence is a choice to remain as spiritually dead as we were when we came into this world. I have included scripture pertaining to salvation in a later chapter. If you have never received Christ yet, there is still time. I encourage you to do it today. Do not delay. In chapter 9 you will find information on how to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.