On Behalf Of...

Last fall, I joined the York County Veterans Honor Guard, a local group that provides honors for veterans' funerals.  To date I've served at over 70 funerals, and I've done just about everything: serving on the Color Guard, firing with the Rifle Squad, playing Taps, and assisting with the flag presentation.  And on three occasions, I presented the flag to veterans' family members. 

Two of the flags I presented were for families of Navy nurses, and I started those presentations with, "On behalf of the President of the United States and the Secretary of the United States Navy..."

Recently, as I was with the Color Guard and holding the Navy flag, I heard those same words, "...and the Secretary of the United States Navy..." and I smiled.

The new and current Secretary of the Navy is Ken Braithwaite, a Navy Admiral and Pilot, the former Ambassador to Norway, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1984 - and my classmate.

Presenting a flag on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy takes on a new meaning when you know the man!
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In the book of Acts, Paul visits the city of Athens and he addresses the people:

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: "To the unknown god." What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.  Acts 17:23

Paul takes this opportunity to tell the Athenians about the God that he knows, worships, and serves.  

The God of the Bible, the God that Christians worship, is not a God who's far off.  He isn't one whom you just read about; He's knowable. 

...let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 9:24

He's a God who cares about and for His creation.  He cares so much that Jesus, the second person of the Holy Trinity, became a baby, one of us, and lived among us.  Our God allows us to know Him in a very personal and intimate way. 

He also promises to be with us, and to hear our prayers.  And He gives us other Christians to encourage and strengthen us in our faith.  Martin Luther said this about our God:

Now, if someone has Him who fills all things, he has more than the whole world...when a man has Him who has more than He can give away, then his heart knows that he has a gracious God and all things in Him.  What could such a heart ever lack?

And when I hear my pastor say, "As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins," I know that he is speaking on behalf of Jesus, of someone he knows and I know, of the One whose Word is sure and true.

May each of us grow in faith, know Him better, and always know His peace.