We watched the re-enactment march of the battle where Napoleon "met his Waterloo." It happened every year at the actual battle site near our home in Belgium.
Seventy-two thousand died in just a matter of hours.
I kept thinking about the men in Wellington's army that marched into the saber teeth of war that day.
Indeed, what powers can cause a man to march into any war? Of course, the desire to stop the enemy is strong, but it seems even other forces interplay to maintain the marchers' morale.
Demanding drums established a rhythm--a cadence that seemed itself to be a proverbial engine compelling weary bodies forward. Heavy feet thudded the pavement in cadence.
Yet, at the same time--what a masterful paradox--the high, lilting fife notes beckoned the marchers' minds and spirits to rise above the fatigue and fear.
Someone a long time ago learned the power of music. They knew the attitude of the marchers would tread the avenues of the melodies they heard.
Hell knows well how to do this. Secular media jack-hammer hell scripture lyrics into the minds and hearts of our children with a screaming, pulsing, flood of rebellion--hastening the march into hell.
But I have also heard another kind of music. In America, Australia, Rwanda, Swaziland and everywhere I go I hear Delerious!' song, "How Great Is Our God!" In Rwanda and Australia choirs of nearly 30,000 voices lofted high our spirits and compelled us to march into the face of the enemy.
I'm awash in goosebumps now just from the memory of those times.
The cadence is still there pushing me.
No comments:
Post a Comment