General Lee’s Hand Extended at Gettysburg
A Union veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg, A.L. Long, tells a gripping story of how bitterly he hated the South. He recounts of being wounded, and near death. As he lay on the ground, not far from Cemetery Ridge, on July 3, 1863, the last day of the battle, he saw General Lee and a few of his officers ride by. He gathered all his strength and shouted as loud as he could, “Hurrah for the Union.” General Lee heard him and dismounted, and walked to him. Long says, “He extended his hand toward me, grasped mine firmly and looking straight into my eyes said, ‘My son, I hope you will soon be well.” If I live a thousand years I will never forget the look on General Lee’s face.”
Musing on this the thought came to me Will we who know Christ ever forget His compassion and grace for us? Not only at Calvary, but the moment He reached down His hand for us and lifted us from life’s sinking sand?
Compassion, grace, forgiveness comes with understanding. General Lee is one of the most unusual men in all of history. His love for Christ is legendary. His practice of being a hand of Christ to others is something modern people should know and emulate.
How different the life of Christians will be when we get over the pain of different ideas and reach out to wounded Christians as they lay bleeding upon life’s many battlefields.
Copyright © 2013 Larry Lilly
A Union veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg, A.L. Long, tells a gripping story of how bitterly he hated the South. He recounts of being wounded, and near death. As he lay on the ground, not far from Cemetery Ridge, on July 3, 1863, the last day of the battle, he saw General Lee and a few of his officers ride by. He gathered all his strength and shouted as loud as he could, “Hurrah for the Union.” General Lee heard him and dismounted, and walked to him. Long says, “He extended his hand toward me, grasped mine firmly and looking straight into my eyes said, ‘My son, I hope you will soon be well.” If I live a thousand years I will never forget the look on General Lee’s face.”
Musing on this the thought came to me Will we who know Christ ever forget His compassion and grace for us? Not only at Calvary, but the moment He reached down His hand for us and lifted us from life’s sinking sand?
Compassion, grace, forgiveness comes with understanding. General Lee is one of the most unusual men in all of history. His love for Christ is legendary. His practice of being a hand of Christ to others is something modern people should know and emulate.
How different the life of Christians will be when we get over the pain of different ideas and reach out to wounded Christians as they lay bleeding upon life’s many battlefields.
Copyright © 2013 Larry Lilly
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