Today’s National Day Calendar celebration is both joyous and sad. This is National Former Prisoners of War Day. It’s a day to recognize and honor those who were once POWs but were rescued or escaped. It’s also a day where we should remember that there are more than 81,000 who are still POW/MIAs.1
“Since World War I, more than 142,000 Americans, including 85 women, have been captured and interned as POWs…Only one fifth of America’s former POWs since World War I are still living (about 29,350). More than 90% of living former POWs were captured and interned during World War II. About 18,000 former POWs are in receipt of compensation for service-connected injuries, diseases, or illnesses.”2
“In 1984, a movement led by former POWs began seeking a day recognizing former Prisoners of War on April 9th each year. In 1988, Congress approved legislation setting April 9th to commemorate the date the tragic number of captives were taken prisoner on Bataan. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed National Former Prisoners of War Recognition Day on April 1, 1988, through Presidential Proclamation 5788. He set the observance for April 9, 1988. Since then, through legislation and Presidential Proclamations, the observance carries on.”3
Most of those who became POWs were fresh-faced, pimply, recent graduates of high school who just a few months after enlistment found themselves captured by the enemy. Now, interred in a prison camp, they grew up overnight as they faced atrocities and fears they never imagined. The former POWs carry scars on their bodies that cannot compare to the scars on their minds and hearts.
Of the more than 81,000 who are still POW/MIA, those who are still living must feel forgotten. Is anyone still looking for me? Have my loved ones given up hope? Have they moved on with their lives? Will I be welcome in a family that has moved on? If rescued, will I be able to adapt to society? Will I experience PTSD and what will that look like? How will I cope with the images that have been seared into my mind? It’s hard to comprehend how they must think and feel.
As we think of those who were former POWs, we must also remember those who rescued them, risking their own lives so that a POW could be restored to their home and country. It sounds very similar to what Jesus has done for us, only on a much grander scale.
“Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: (6) I the LORD have called thee in
righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; (7) To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” (Isaiah 42:5-7) Jesus spoke similar words in Luke 4:18-19. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
What Jesus did next was powerful. “And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.” I imagine a dramatic pause and silence before He speaks. “And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:20-21) In essence, Jesus said, “I’m here to rescue the POWs.”
Every Christian is a former POW. We were once in “the snare of the devil … taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26) We need to thank God that we are former POWs and thank Him for coming to “seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
If you are still a POW, here’s a truth to consider from John 8:36. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
1https://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/FAQs/
2https://www.apwuiowa.com/Former%20Prisoners%20of%20War%20(POWS).pdf#:~:text=Only%20one%20fifth%20of%20America%27s%20former%20POWs%20since,of%20compensation%20for%20service-connected%20injuries%2C%20diseases%2C%20or%20illnesses.
3https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-former-prisoner-of-war-recognition-day-april-9
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