Steve Sikes Blog
Steve Sikes Blog
I received my order to report for my armed forces physical examination in January of 1973. I was a junior in college at Harding University. Several of my college peers had already been drafted and since my draft number was “81” out of 366—I suspected I would be following them soon.
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My letter stated that I needed to report at the Searcy, Arkansas bus station at 6:00 am on Friday morning, January 26, 1973. I remember getting up early that Friday and going down to the bus station and reporting. I showed them my letter expecting them to hand me my bus ticket and send me on my way to Little Rock. However, after several minutes they came back to me and said, “Mr. Sikes, for some reason we cannot locate your information and ticket. Go on back to school today and we will get in touch with you some time next week. I breathed a sigh of relief, said “Thank You, God” and returned to campus.
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For those of you knowledgeable about the Vietnam draft – it was suspended the next day on Saturday, January 27, 1973, the day the Vietnam peace pacts were signed! I never heard from anyone again about going to Little Rock and taking my physical or about being drafted into the military for the Vietnam War.
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Why was I spared from going to Vietnam when others better than me, godlier than me, not only were drafted but were maimed or killed? I have no idea. But ever since 1973 I have felt a great indebtedness to all those who have served in the military, during times of war and times of peace.
I didn’t deserve to be spared from war. I know that. I didn’t deserve NOT to be drafted, when so many homes were torn apart by the draft. I know that. I still don’t understand all that happened and didn’t happen to me in 1973, but the above events have fostered, along with the Bible, my theology of GRACE.
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Have you read Deuteronomy, chapters 7-9 lately? Why did the Lord God choose the Jews to be the people that would bring forth His Son?
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1. Because they were the strongest nation? No! There were 7 nations stronger than them! (Deut 7:1)
2. Because they were more numerous than other peoples? No! They were the fewest! (Deut 7:7)
3. Because they were the most righteous? No! They were a stiff-necked people surrounded by wicked nations! (Deut 9:4-6)
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“Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.” (6)
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The Jewish nation was chosen by God by GRACE! There was nothing they did to deserve God’s blessing! God called them to be faithful, to follow and obey Him, and if they did, they would be blessed!
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You and I have been chosen by God by GRACE! “For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph 2:8) We have all been given much GRACE! How then should we live?
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GIGATTAATTGIG!
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