The Story of Harold and Mack
By Dennis Love
McDowell County
Harold and Mack served alongside each other in Italy during World War II. One was from Illinois and the other from California. Had these two men met in civilian life, they’d had no common interests and likely would have never been friends. But on the battlefield, they became closer than brothers.
Mack started having a bad feeling that he wasn’t going to make it out alive. So, he gave Harold a few mementos and said that if anything ever happened to him, he was to find his sister and give them to her. He also permitted Harold to kiss her. Harold made a promise to Mack to fulfill his wish. One day later, Mack was killed in heavy artillery fire.
For over 50 years, Harold searched for Mack’s sister. Every lead turned up empty, and every woman with the same name turned up to be the wrong woman. Harold could have given up, and it would have meant nothing to anyone else. But it meant everything to Harold. He made a promise to his best friend, and it was a promise he intended to keep.
Finally, with the help of his daughter, Harold located Mack’s sister. They met at the veteran’s memorial in Marysville, California where Mack’s name is inscribed in marble. Harold gave her all the items that Mack wanted his sister to have. Then he leaned over and kissed her.
Would you keep a promise like that? Could you keep a promise like that? Well, I know someone who’s kept an even greater promise. His name is Jesus.
He promised to shed His glory and come down to this Earth for us….and He did.
He promised to live a righteous life that would be an example to follow….and He did.
He promised to choose a few people who would start His church and spread His word so that we can get to know Him….and He did.
He promised to take the punishment for our sins and die on the cross for our salvation….and He did.
He promised to return to the Father and prepare a place for us in Heaven….and He did.
And, He promised to come back one day for us who believe so we can live with Him forever….and….He will.
Proverbs 18:24 talks about a friend who sticks closer than a brother. That’s referring to Jesus!
John 15:13 says there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends. That’s talking about Jesus!
1 Peter 3:9 reminds us that God is not slack when it comes to His promises. That especially applies to Jesus! What He said, He will do!
There might be things that you doubt, there might be things that you fear. But let your heart and mind find rest in the fact that God keeps His promises! No matter what you have been through and what you may face in the days to come, I pray that you are resting on the promises of God. He promised He would come and be our Emanuel, “God with us” and He came, and He is! Harold kept his promise to Mack even though it took him 50 years to fulfill it. Jesus keeps His promises to us in the here and now, and for all eternity. Rest in His promises and you will have a Merry Christmas!
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Dr. Dennis Love is the Associational Missions Strategist for the Blue Ridge Baptist Association in McDowell County. Dr. Love has been in full-time ministry work for 31 years. He and his wife Vicki have been married for almost 42 years, and they have lived in Marion for almost 8 years. They have two sons, four grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. He can be reached via email at: dlovebrba@yahoo.com
Read more of his Christian news articles here
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