St George
by J. John - April 2010
St George's Day is commemorated today. St George is the patron saint of England and identified with the ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry.
This renowned martyr was born in Cappadocia, Turkey, the son of God-fearing parents. His father suffered for Christ, after which his mother moved to Palestine. When George grew up, he went into the army, in which he rose, by the age of twenty, to the rank of tribune, and as such was in service under the Emperor Diocletian.
The Emperor Diocletian (ad 245-313) began a campaign against Christians at the very beginning of the fourth century. In ad 303 George is said to have objected to this persecution and resigned his military post in protest.
George tore up the Emperor's order against Christians. This infuriated Diocletian, and George was imprisoned and tortured - but he refused to deny his faith. George was told his life would be spared if he would offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. The people assembled to see him do so, but instead George prayed only to the Christian God. Immediately, fire came down from heaven, an earthquake shook the ground, and idols and the temple buildings were destroyed.
Eventually he was dragged through the streets of Diospolis (now Lydda) in Palestine and beheaded. It's said that Diocletian's wife was so impressed by George's resilience that she became a Christian and that she too was executed for her faith. Consumed by his love for Christ, it was not difficult for George to leave all for this love - his status, wealth and imperial favour, his friends and the whole world. For this love, the Lord rewarded him with a wreath of unfading glory in heaven.
The life of St George is an example to us all, standing up for what you believe in is a rare trait to have in the world we live in and is something to hold and cherish. If only there were more of us like this great man.
St George should be remembered as a man of honour and great courage. He suffered torture for his faith, enduring to the end, and obeyed what God had entrusted him to do rather than the world.
I am reminded of J. B. Phillips' illuminating translation of Romans 12:1-2:
"With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers and sisters, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity."
WOW! That is worth meditating on.
Agapé,
J.JOHN
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