For Christmas This Year, Let's Go Crazy...Let's Get Nuts!

????**Be warned, this message has been adapted from a message I share to my student veterans and family members, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of Oral Roberts University....

”NUTS!!!!!”? Let me say that again……NUTS!!!!!

???? That was General McAuliffe’s official response when the Germans wrote a two-paged letter requiring the immediate surrender of all forces in the vicinity of Bastogne on December 22nd, 1944. If that sounds too good to be true, let me share the official correspondence the 101st Airborne Division staff wrote up and sent to the German commander:

???? "December 22, 1944

To the German Commander,

? N U T S !

? The American Commander"

???? In fact, when he first was given the letter and informed of the surrender option, he immediately thought "the Germans want to surrender???" When told it was for our surrender, he channeled his inner George Brett as he stormed out of the visitor's dugout when told he was out after his game-leading, two-run homer off of Goose Gossage in 1983. He said something along the lines of "ridiculous, that is nuts" as he angrily made his way out of the command post. As he regrouped and collected himself, he was looking for options on an official response to the German's demands. The Operations Officer simply shared his initial reaction would do just nicely.

What does a wonderfully delicious piece of American military history have to do with us as we prepare for the Christmas season?? Well, the Battle of Bastogne began with a complete surprise attack by German forces on December 16th, and the siege lasted until the day after Christmas when armored units under command of General Patton fought their way to the town.

???? I encourage you to watch (re-watch?) the iconic series Band of Brothers, specifically episode 6, title titularly titled, “Bastogne”.? 20+ years after airing, it remains a realistic, heartfelt depiction of what the foot soldier endured through the eyes of Easy Company’s medic, Doc Roe.

???? For our purposes, I want to get back to the overall event and message. You see, Allied Forces had been doing increasingly well after a short lull that followed the successful Normandy invasion (I can’t recommend enough “Saving Private Ryan”) in June. The ill-fated Operation Market Garden (see “A Bridge too Far”, starring a young Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Gene Hackman, and the recently passed Ryan O’Neal) in September where the Allies failed to secure the objective in the Netherlands didn’t help matters, not did the lack of resources to support such a massive Allied force in the march to Berlin.?

???? As such, German commanders saw an opportunity and launched Operation Autumn Mist (leave it to the Germans to refer to the German/Belgium border in December as…autumn). The weather, their own Soldiers morale, and lack of resources, along with the continual push by the Allies into the are defeated the attack. Although fighting would continue, Allied victory was all but secured. In May, less than six months later, the Germans unconditionally surrounded.?

???? No “NUTS” moment for them!

???? History is fun, isn’t it?? But that isn’t my purpose. Today, some of us are where the Allies found themselves in the beginning of Winter in 1944.?

We got this.

The enemy is retreating.?

We’ve won.?

Let me be so bold as to say the Enemy we face is far more cunning, powerful, and invested in defeating us than the German Wehrmacht. I’d dare to say he almost smiles when we have summited a hard, or normal, season in our life. He lies in wait to hit us off our stride and encircle us, keeping us separated from our tribe and our God.

???? So today, I encourage you to be on guard. To be deliberate in putting on the armor of God. Paul shares this with the church in Ephesus:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms..” (Ephesian 6:10-12).

???? Don’t give the enemy any chance to interrupt your preparation for next week’s celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Be ready.

Be on guard.

Lead you and your families.

???? And when that offer to surrender comes…you know what to say…..