Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
The Names and Titles of God (Captain of Salvation)
Hebrews 2:10
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
King James Version
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Dad was a US Navy Veteran of World War II and The Korean War. He loved "War Movies" and had a whole collection of DVD's. One of the stock characters, especially in the Navy Stories, was the "Ninety-Day Wonder". Because of the wartime emergency, there were a lot of newly commissioned officers who had received only three months of training, and were inexperienced in war. They were the exact opposite of a seasoned professional who had worked his way up through the ranks. The epithet was derisive, but probably descriptive.
Some examples of the Ninety-Day Wonder Character are Ensign Parker, played by Tim Conway, and Ensign Pulver, played by Jack Lemmon
(A Note: To any Vets out there who served honorably as a quickly commissioned officer during WWII, Thank You For Your Service! Not all Ensigns were "Ninety-Day Wonders"!)
In Today's Scripture Passage, we see a Name that is not often used. Jesus is called "The Captain of Our Salvation." The Passage goes on to describe the Suffering Jesus went through in order to atone for the sins of the world.
No matter how good and decent a person may be, nobody is qualified to atone for anybody else's sins, much less the sins of the whole world. Jesus, being sinless, was the Only One who could do that.
But, you may ask, how does a sinless Person even understand what I'm going through? How can an Innocent man understand the temptations, the agonies, the hurts, the insults, or the pain of just being HUMAN?
The Book of Hebrews addresses that question. Jesus is able to identify with us because of His suffering. He was tempted in all ways, yet did not sin. Temptation itself isn't sin...it's the way we deal with it that determines that. We all fall at one time or another. Even if we have had years of training and experience, we are ALL "Ninety-Day Wonders" when it comes to our own Salvation. We are inadequate, and can't save ourselves. But neither can the Big Shot Evangelist, the Teacher or the Preacher, the Priest, the Bishop, or even the Dali Lama or the Pope, for that matter. We all need to look at the Captain, Our Great High Priest, Who was tempted in all things as we are, but did not sin.
All I can do is salute and say "Aye Aye Captain!"
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS