A Shout Out to Our US Army Chaplains
This weekend was a tapestry of celebration and solemnity, woven with a funeral for a dear friend, Father’s Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, and the ramped up tensions between Israel and Iran. As I was going through all these moments, an important group of special people stood out. I am drawn to honor our Army Chaplains, some serving courageously in the Middle East, and, appropriately, to reflect on God’s steadfast presence. As many of the various US Army units walked in the parade on Saturday, I did not see anybody there representing the Chaplains; yet, at the exact same moment, some of our US Army soldiers sheltered in bunkers in the Middle East as sirens roared overhead. In their midst, these Chaplains – a highly trained group of noncombatants who seek to provide spiritual care for the soldiers – continually seek to serve well. This special shout out goes to our chaplains.
As they served in combat this weekend, I remembered this verse as I prayed for them:
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
God stands as our unyielding refuge. This truth resonates deeply as we celebrated the U.S. Army’s birthday, honoring those who defend freedom, and especially our chaplains as they seek to serve spiritually everyone else who is serving. These spiritual warriors, stationed in very dangerous places like the Middle East this past weekend, offer hope amid chaos. They pray, counsel, and point soldiers to the God who is “very present” in trouble, even as Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missiles unfold nearby.
Our chaplains embody Psalm 46:1, bringing God’s strength to those facing uncertainty. Their ministry reminds us that, whether in war zones or at home, God is our fortress. This weekend, as our chaplains huddled in bunkers under attack, they were there offering peace that surpasses understanding through Christ. It is a vivid picture of faith in action, one that challenges us to trust God’s presence in our own trials.
As we honored my friend who died, fathers on Sunday, and soldiers on Saturday, I am reminded that God’s help is not distant but near. Here, let us pray for our chaplains as they serve, represent Christ, seek to bring peace to the hearts of those in danger, those dads who were wondering if they were going to make it back home from deployment to see their children again, and those dads wondering if their child is coming back from the deployment. We need to pray for peace in the Middle East, and for leaders to lead with godly wisdom. May each of these, like Psalm 46:1 declares, find refuge in God, our ever-present strength, no matter the storms around us.
Please join me in prayer as you read:
“Lord, thank You for being our refuge. Bless our soldiers, our Army Chaplains, those in conflict zones, those families who are concerned, and those commanders who lead. Bring peace to Israel and Iran, and let Your presence be a great area of comfort for all. In Jesus name, Amen.”
As some of our US Army soldiers sheltered in bunkers in the Middle East as sirens roared overhead, in their midst, Chaplains–a highly trained group of noncombatants providing spiritual care for the soldiers. Share on XFor more information on Chaplain ministries: The Military’s Best Kept Secret
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Please pray for more chaplains who are truly believers. I was an army wife for over 20 years and my son is still active duty (son-in-law retired) and our experience has been that there are few true believers in the chaplaincy. We encountered only two as my children were growing up. My son has not encountered one to date. Chaplains can be Mormon, any denomination, even Wiccan (which was our experience in Germany during one of our tours there). One of my regular prayers is that there would be more Christians called to serve in the military (overall) and more true believers serving as chaplains. I believe there is tremendous pressure to not preach the Gospel. The two chaplains that we knew during our years in the military that preached the truth were high-ranking officers and had commanders over them who were believers and that is why they could be bold in teaching the truth (my opinion). This is a fact about military life that likely few people know. During my over 20 years going from base to base (New York, Washington, Georgia, Texas, and Germany) I encountered few believers; fortunately God did send friends my way and each base I went to I learned what God knew I needed to know at that time and I am thankful.