Christians in the Military.

I have been wrestling with an issue.
I have been wrestling with a tough issue.
I have been wrestling with a tough issue that I have not found an answer to,
and that scares me.


I have been wrestling with the issue of Christians in the military.
Is Jesus a pacifist?
Is fighting in war considered murder?
What was the exception with war in the Old Testament versus war in the New Testament?


I have been wrestling with this issue and it has been rough because I feel the culture surrounding me loves to take the liberal, go-green, peace for all, no shoes stance.  And that is not negative, it is just different from how I was raised.  Am I wrong?


I want peace. I want hungry children to be fed. I want to clothe my neighbor and feed my enemy. I want to put down the sword and pick up a conversation. I want to clean our environment. I want to bring my grocery bag rather than use plastic. I want to fast shoes for Africa.


But I am also marrying a man who is the United States Air Force. How do these two lifestyles mix?


After a class discussion on military yesterday, I called Anthony after class. I asked him, "Can you tell me that you believe with your entire heart and soul that God's will is for you to be in the military?"
His response was, "Absolutely. I would not be here if it wasn't because He asked me to be."


If any of you know my fiance, he is a surf bum who hates having to keep is hair short and would rather be cruising shirtless in his jeep than taking orders. He only wears his uniform when required and eyebrows raise when people find out he is in the military. "You are really laid back..." they say.  His school of choice was USC and his desired profession is marine biology, but somehow he is in Mississippi learning about cyber warfare...


So now I have two issues. How does God view Christians in the military and Why, if it is against His will, did He ask my fiance, whom if you know him you know he loves and pursues God harder than most, to join the Air Force?

I don't have an answer. This is not a persuasive essay.


All I know is that God has called me to support my (future) husband and trust Him. God knew I would marry Anthony and He knew Anthony would be in the Air Force.  He also knew that I would be raised in a family full of veterans and patriotic people.


I also know that this confusion is not a matter of my salvation and I find peace in that. I only wish to cling closer to God in my confusion rather than turn from Him.


In this I find myself asking a new question.

Military and government will always be flawed, but would I rather have a man who loves the Lord leading troops onto a battlefield or just leave it to the world?