Friday night our family went to see off four of the soldiers in Kyle’s company. They are headed out on a year-long deployment. From Kyle’s company, they usually head out in small groups and could be gone for anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on the mission. They have gone all over the world just since we got here in January.
They are an amazing group of soldiers.
As we stood saying good-bye on Friday night, Kyle told them we would be praying for them and that if they needed anything at all to contact him. He said the same for their families.
As they were about to load on the van, they only had one question: Are you going to be here when we get back?
A legitimate question in military life.
Many of the soldiers from the unit have left and come back to completely different leadership and many new soldiers – almost a whole new company. A strange feeling I am sure as they are off serving our country and come back to have no idea who is in charge or what has changed while they were gone. I would think it has to be a little unnerving.
I have the same thoughts sometimes. God sends us “out” to serve, and I find myself figuratively reaching out to make sure He is still there with me. I know He is, but sometimes I just like to check.
As these soldiers left, Kyle assured them that unless something crazy happened we would still be here when they returned. Yet as much as we wanted to, we could not guarantee our presence in the company a year from now.
What we could guarantee them is our prayer and support as they go. We could also live a life that would introduce them to the only stability we know in this nomadic life – Jesus.
At the end of the day, our presence in the company is not mandatory, but our prayer is that in the time we have they will see Jesus in us. Whether we leave the company eighteen months from now or two months, we pray that we have left hope and peace to a company of soldiers. That we have shown them through our lives the Savior we could not live without. Our time here would be successful if that is all we have left behind.
So, in a life of instability, how do you demonstrate Jesus – the hope and peace we find in Him – to the mission field He has given you? What real-life ways do you use to share Jesus?
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