Stories of Faith and Courage From World War II by Larkin Spivey Page A
Authors: Larkin Spivey
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source of imagery. The psalmist described longing for God as a deer panting for “streams of water”(Psalm 42:1). Jesus told us that they are blessed who “thirst for righteousness”(Matthew 5:6). The culmination of this imagery is found in Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman. After asking her for a drink of water from a well, Jesus offered her another kind of drink that would forever replenish itself. This image of “living water” presents a powerful picture of eternal life with Jesus and our Father in heaven.
Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
—John 4:13–14
M ARCH 16
I Couldn’t Die
On June 9, 1940, the British aircraft carrier HMS Glorious was intercepted returning from Norway by two German battle cruisers. The Glorious and her two escort destroyers were sunk, with more than fifteen hundred sailors lost. Ronald Healiss, a Royal Marine, was one of the few survivors. Sighting a lifeboat in the distance, he began the longest swim of his life. After what seemed like hours, every muscle was cramped and his stomach was in a knot. He thought his time had come.
It’s true that when you see death approaching your past life passes before your eyes. I remembered my boyhood, the day I joined the Royal Marines. I could see my mother clearly. And the girl who would have been my wife in a few short days. In my trouser-pocket there had been a little leather case in which I always carried a picture of my parents and my girl. I felt about me with a frozen hand. The case was still there. I took it out while I floated, intent on bidding them goodbye. But I couldn’t. The faces were too real. The sodden photographs smiled up at me and I knew I couldn’t die without seeing those three people again. I thrust the wallet back in my pocket and struck out again with fresh strength. 101
A friend once told me a similar story of survival in a Vietnamese rice paddy. He decided that in spite of his wounds and “hopeless” situation, he was just not going to die in that place. He reached down within himself for the strength to keep going and somehow got to a safe place. These stories are a reminder of how precious life is and how strong we can be once we make the decision to move ahead. God stands ready to reach out to us when we choose to go forward in spite of our difficulties and when we turn to him for help. In him there is truly no hopeless situation.
But you, O L ORD , be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
—Psalm 22:19
M ARCH 17
One More Round
“Gentleman Jim” Corbett became heavyweight boxing champion by defeating the great John L. Sullivan in 1892. One of his famous remarks was quoted to give the crew of an American battleship inspiration to perform their duties under the difficult conditions of wartime:
Fight one more round. When your feet are so tired that you have to shuffle back to the ring, fight one more round. When your arms are so tired that you can hardly lift your hands to come on guard, fight one more round. When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you are so tired that you wish your opponent would crack you one on the jaw and put you to sleep, fight one more round—remembering that the man who always fights one more round is never whipped. 102
It may be difficult for many to identify with boxing as a metaphor for living. These days our struggles are usually not of such an intensely physical nature. However, even our everyday problems relating to work and family often require great patience and at times even a degree of dogged determination. Then there are our spiritual struggles, which are on a different plane altogether. Our efforts in this sphere have eternal consequences and are worthy of our utmost perseverance. Scripture exhorts us to, “Fight the good fight”(1 Timothy 6:12) and “Stand
Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
—John 4:13–14
M ARCH 16
I Couldn’t Die
On June 9, 1940, the British aircraft carrier HMS Glorious was intercepted returning from Norway by two German battle cruisers. The Glorious and her two escort destroyers were sunk, with more than fifteen hundred sailors lost. Ronald Healiss, a Royal Marine, was one of the few survivors. Sighting a lifeboat in the distance, he began the longest swim of his life. After what seemed like hours, every muscle was cramped and his stomach was in a knot. He thought his time had come.
It’s true that when you see death approaching your past life passes before your eyes. I remembered my boyhood, the day I joined the Royal Marines. I could see my mother clearly. And the girl who would have been my wife in a few short days. In my trouser-pocket there had been a little leather case in which I always carried a picture of my parents and my girl. I felt about me with a frozen hand. The case was still there. I took it out while I floated, intent on bidding them goodbye. But I couldn’t. The faces were too real. The sodden photographs smiled up at me and I knew I couldn’t die without seeing those three people again. I thrust the wallet back in my pocket and struck out again with fresh strength. 101
A friend once told me a similar story of survival in a Vietnamese rice paddy. He decided that in spite of his wounds and “hopeless” situation, he was just not going to die in that place. He reached down within himself for the strength to keep going and somehow got to a safe place. These stories are a reminder of how precious life is and how strong we can be once we make the decision to move ahead. God stands ready to reach out to us when we choose to go forward in spite of our difficulties and when we turn to him for help. In him there is truly no hopeless situation.
But you, O L ORD , be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
—Psalm 22:19
M ARCH 17
One More Round
“Gentleman Jim” Corbett became heavyweight boxing champion by defeating the great John L. Sullivan in 1892. One of his famous remarks was quoted to give the crew of an American battleship inspiration to perform their duties under the difficult conditions of wartime:
Fight one more round. When your feet are so tired that you have to shuffle back to the ring, fight one more round. When your arms are so tired that you can hardly lift your hands to come on guard, fight one more round. When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you are so tired that you wish your opponent would crack you one on the jaw and put you to sleep, fight one more round—remembering that the man who always fights one more round is never whipped. 102
It may be difficult for many to identify with boxing as a metaphor for living. These days our struggles are usually not of such an intensely physical nature. However, even our everyday problems relating to work and family often require great patience and at times even a degree of dogged determination. Then there are our spiritual struggles, which are on a different plane altogether. Our efforts in this sphere have eternal consequences and are worthy of our utmost perseverance. Scripture exhorts us to, “Fight the good fight”(1 Timothy 6:12) and “Stand
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