If the blasts of cannon shells and a hailstorm of bullets fired by the thousands
were not enough to make a battle terrifying, there was the added banshee cry of the advancing Southern infantry. It was with this battle cry the Confederate Army charged the Union lines, the blood-curdling howl was given the legendary name, 'The Rebel Yell'.
Since there were no audio recordings during the Civil War, we only have eyewitness descriptions of what it may have sounded like. Some accounts described it similar to the Scottish Highlander battle cry. This seems plausible since many Celtic people made up the Southern Army. Others said it sounded more like an imitation Native American war cry, which also seems logical from the time period. Still others believed it was more like the sound of a pack of hunting hounds chasing their prey. Whatever the exact sound was, those who heard it said it caused a, "tingling sensation to go up one's spine". There is a story of an old Confederate veteran many years after the war being asked for a demonstration of the rebel yell. He politely refused on the grounds that it could only be done "at a run", and couldn't be done anyway with "a mouth full of false teeth and a stomach full of food". In other words, some experiences that occurred during intense moments of desperation can't be replicated during times of peace and calm. I suppose that old soldier could have replied, "You needed to be there."
After reading that quote from that Southern veteran, I could not help but see a parallel between his reasoning and the Christian believer. He found it difficult to pull up the true battle cry, when not in battle. He found it impossible to give a true rendition of something that takes a real hunger to replicate. There is a passion that wells up in a person that can only come in the heat and pressure of battle. Have we lost that sense of desperation in our pursuit of God? The Psalmist describes that kind of desperation, "As the deer pants after the water brook, so my soul pants for you, O Lord." Psalms 42:1
When all is well and quiet in our life. When we are in a place of comfort and ease. When we find ourselves needing nothing, there is no need to desperately press into God. Jesus spoke a parable of a person in that condition, "A rich man had such a good harvest that he decided to stop working, build bigger barns to store his produce and from that day forward to just eat, drink and make merry. Not knowing that his life would soon come to an end, and his laziness would not be looked on fondly by his Maker." Luke 12:16-21
I suppose that old Rebel veteran could have given a half-hearted attempt to please the gathered group of admirers, but his heart would not have been in it. For the true rebel yell, he needed to be running, passionately toward the enemy and victory. It was difficult to do that at a sedate women's luncheon. Have we lost our way? Do we wander away from the Battle lines instead of toward them. It is hard to pull up a passionate cry for God when we no longer hunger and thirst?
"They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6
Are you still excited about your Savior? Are you still looking for new ways to serve Him, or have you already emotionally retired from the labor of the Kingdom? One way to judge is by your Battle Cry. Fervent prayer and exuberant praise are our "Rebel Yell". Are you still able to bring it forth?
Since there were no audio recordings during the Civil War, we only have eyewitness descriptions of what it may have sounded like. Some accounts described it similar to the Scottish Highlander battle cry. This seems plausible since many Celtic people made up the Southern Army. Others said it sounded more like an imitation Native American war cry, which also seems logical from the time period. Still others believed it was more like the sound of a pack of hunting hounds chasing their prey. Whatever the exact sound was, those who heard it said it caused a, "tingling sensation to go up one's spine". There is a story of an old Confederate veteran many years after the war being asked for a demonstration of the rebel yell. He politely refused on the grounds that it could only be done "at a run", and couldn't be done anyway with "a mouth full of false teeth and a stomach full of food". In other words, some experiences that occurred during intense moments of desperation can't be replicated during times of peace and calm. I suppose that old soldier could have replied, "You needed to be there."
After reading that quote from that Southern veteran, I could not help but see a parallel between his reasoning and the Christian believer. He found it difficult to pull up the true battle cry, when not in battle. He found it impossible to give a true rendition of something that takes a real hunger to replicate. There is a passion that wells up in a person that can only come in the heat and pressure of battle. Have we lost that sense of desperation in our pursuit of God? The Psalmist describes that kind of desperation, "As the deer pants after the water brook, so my soul pants for you, O Lord." Psalms 42:1
When all is well and quiet in our life. When we are in a place of comfort and ease. When we find ourselves needing nothing, there is no need to desperately press into God. Jesus spoke a parable of a person in that condition, "A rich man had such a good harvest that he decided to stop working, build bigger barns to store his produce and from that day forward to just eat, drink and make merry. Not knowing that his life would soon come to an end, and his laziness would not be looked on fondly by his Maker." Luke 12:16-21
I suppose that old Rebel veteran could have given a half-hearted attempt to please the gathered group of admirers, but his heart would not have been in it. For the true rebel yell, he needed to be running, passionately toward the enemy and victory. It was difficult to do that at a sedate women's luncheon. Have we lost our way? Do we wander away from the Battle lines instead of toward them. It is hard to pull up a passionate cry for God when we no longer hunger and thirst?
"They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6
Are you still excited about your Savior? Are you still looking for new ways to serve Him, or have you already emotionally retired from the labor of the Kingdom? One way to judge is by your Battle Cry. Fervent prayer and exuberant praise are our "Rebel Yell". Are you still able to bring it forth?
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