This section is called: Additional Instructions. However, its these additional instructions that are the meat of the orders. They tell you when you can travel, where you might be staying, who to contact, what uniform you have to wear, if you are getting per diem, and all sorts of vitally important information, which at times is written out in its own code that takes Google searches to figure out. Matter of fact most people have to read their orders two or three times to make sure they got everything. And in many ways the sheet appears to have been produced from a typewriter, echoing some distance military past. The communication is not personal, there are no "good lucks" written on it. For the most part one's orders are written with a military cadence, crisp and directly to the point.
It took me a while to get my orders sent to me. And for those of you who don't know I will be assigned to a ROTC unit all the way in warm and sunny Ft. Knox for most of the Summer. I have done a program like this before but this time will be different and more responsibility will be given. Its a funny concept, to receive orders. Nothing happens within the military without them. Orders define where a soldier must go and when they are done and waiting for them can be stressful.
But as my "promised" start date began to approach sooner and sooner and finally my orders arrived something hit home with me that I'm not sure I realized before. As God has redeemed us through Christ and called us to himself he prepares our hearts and lives for something. And that something is what we are called to do in life to bring God glory. 1 Peter 4 teaches us that God has indeed given us certain gifts and these gifts, as Eph. 4 states, are to help other believers with their faith and bring glory to God. The lyrics to King and Country's song "Fix my Eyes" quickly run through my mind. Especially the part, "...it takes a soldier to know his orders to walk the walk I'm supposed to walk..." You see, God has already called me into ministry, I don't need to wait for my orders to pursue ministry or be too nervous not to serve others how God has already called me to serve. I need a willing heart time and time again to serve others and love others. My orders are found in Matt 28; Micah 6:8; 1 Tim. 3; and James 2. When God calls us to something, our entire life is defined by that calling, not by our job description or our worldly age or how the world my see us. We simply can not add the Christian life to our daily "to do list" but rather embrace the calling of Christian with enthusiasm and with joy. the calling that God has given to all of us is simple and sweet, its never complicated. What makes it complex is our daily doubt and wonder if God really means this or actually means that. Yet, our faith shouldn't be depended upon what we decide to do but our faith should be based upon what has been done in us, Romans 12:2. It is my prayer that all of us seek after God and the "orders" he has given us with a steadfastness and a joy.
For those of you who are serving or have served you all probably know what orders look like. A fancy title at the top, various dates, unit identity numbers, various names, numbers in code, and a brief explanation what the orders are for. And then below is what is important.