Remember D-Day!

"O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, in the days of old. You with Your own hand drove out the nations; then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad...For I will not trust in my bow, nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries, and You have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever." Psalm 44:1-2, 6-8

On this day in 1944, the allied forces implemented Operation Neptune as 160,000 troops landed across the beaches of France.  Today we remember this military operation as D-Day.  Crosses in Normandy, France, mark the graves of thousands of allied troops who lost their lives for this cause.  The military operation did pay off, however, because less than a year later the allies declared victory in Europe.

For many of us, thoughts of D-day cause scenes from Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers to flash through our heads.  We have no frame of reference for what actually happened.  But we do know that some brave men sacrificed everything in order to defeat the Evil German Empire.

I think we often forget that it wasn't just brave men and military brilliance that led to the victory over Hitler.  God is the one who saved the world from the grasp of the evil empire.  God is the one who gave the allies the victory in Europe.  God gave the allied troops the courage and the wisdom to implement successful military strategies.  He is the one who drives out nations and spreads them abroad.

I know that Memorial Day was last week, but today is a special day to remember too.  Remember the brave men.  And remember the great things that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do.  "In God we have boasted all day long and we will give thanks to your name forever!"