Impossible Odds

As a young man, Alvin York became a Christian. Because of his beliefs, he was a conscientious objector at the beginning of World War I. However, he still joined the American army. Even then, and throughout the war, he was guided by his convictions.

When asked to shoot at targets that were human silhouettes, York responded, “Sir, I am doing wrong. Practicing to kill people is against my religion.” Nonetheless, he dazzled officers with the accuracy of his shooting ability.

York, who was born in Tennessee in December 1887, served faithfully during that bloody war, culminating in a crisis that took place on this day in 1918 in the Argonne in France. There, York and a handful of American troops were surrounded by hundreds of enemy soldiers occupying a fortified hill. Almost single-handedly, York overcame the machine-gun battalion, knocking out the guns and capturing 132 prisoners.

Others were amazed by this demonstration of bravery, and he received many commendations. Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Allied Commander, remarked, “What you did was the greatest thing accomplished by any private soldier of all the armies of Europe.”

These actions in the face of overwhelming opposition remind us how Jonathan and his armor-bearer attacked and then defeated an entire Philistine army. Why? Because these two men believed that nothing was impossible with God.

Today, you serve the same God who brought victory to Jonathan against overwhelming odds. Don’t be discouraged by any problem or adversary. Trust in Him. Believe Him. And don’t doubt. With God, all things are possible.