You're in the Army Now...

Like a piano player sitting at a piano stool trying to determine which sheet of music she should play, I sit at my computer with the tremendous urge to write.  My heart is full…

Sometimes it is hard to fathom that the people of old in the Bible experienced the same tribulations, trials and temptations that we experience today.  The Bible tells us that there is nothing new under the sun.

We are no different than they… Oh sure, we have more technology and perhaps are more advanced with all the things and items surrounding us – yet those people felt what we feel, experienced the same realm of situations that we experience today.  It is easy to forget they were real people…

When Jesus walked amongst us, He ministered, He healed, He encouraged, He taught, He showed love.  If we call ourselves Christians, shouldn’t we be doing the same?  Are you showing love? Are you encouraging? Are you sharing?  Are you pouring forth the message of God’s grace and forgiveness and love?  I believe that this is what we are called to do.  Jesus said in the book of Matthew Chapter 7:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

Condemnation doesn’t do it. Judgment doesn’t do it.  We must show the love of Christ as we ourselves have been shown the love of Christ.  Even when it is inconvenient, even when it is difficult, even when we don’t have ALL the answers (it is okay to not have all the answers – it’s not about YOU it’s about showing them HIM).  They will know who HE is by the love that we show.  It is the love of Christ that makes ALL the difference.

Do you feel the burden Jesus felt?  How hard it must have been to see all the hurting people that are out there and want to gather each hurting soul in His arms.  I know that is how Jesus must have felt.  There are so many of us that are broken and hurting and questioning.  God wants us to show forth His love, His grace, His mercy , His forgiveness – that is what we whose eyes have been opened to His truth should be doing.

I picture us as “spiritual nurses” like in the days of war – of course for me, my love of Gettysburg comes to mind.  We are in the midst of a very huge spiritual battle.  One that people don’t even acknowledge or believe exists.  Yet even though they don’t acknowledge it as existing – it is very real and it is going on all around us.  There are injured and hurting people that are dying right before our eyes.  We need to assist like the nurses and physicians running out on the battlefield and assisting those that are injured.  The medicine? JESUS.  SALVATION, the message of redemption and hope; to turn eyes towards He that has ALREADY won the battle. 

In the midst of the battle, even as a Christian Soldier sometimes our past trips us up. We falter or we take a mistaken turn or we fall into a pit of old habits and feelings – but we are NOT saved on our own works.  It is BY faith.  Jesus said that He would never leave nor forsake us. It’s important that we remember that the enemy against our soul does not fight fair.  He fights nasty.  He uses past sins, weaknesses and anything he can use to try to discourage us and keep us from walking in the victory that Jesus already won for us.  When Jesus died upon the cross he said, “IT IS FINISHED.” 

He didn’t say it would be easy.  He didn’t say that we would always walk in the victory He enabled us to have.  But this is where we have to remember that we are to walk by faith and not by sight.

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

He did not take us out of this world because He knew that in order to preach the message to the whole world we would have to shine forth His light.  There are times when we are walking through the trenches and the mud feels heavy.  Picking up one foot to move forward feels cumbersome.  We get weary or feel heavy trodden.  Our sins or our past feel ever before us.  The enemy whispers discouragement or accusations into our ears, especially if there is an area we struggle in. 

Don’t listen.

Keep walking forward.

Keep Praying.

Stay focused.

Remember who you belong to.  We could never do anything on our own accord. It is all on His strength. We belong to HIM.  Cry out to him when your own strength and stamina runs out. When you feel as though you just can't go another step in this life full of worry, struggle, temptation and fear.  "Fear Not!" God says, "For I am with you!"

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:10-13)

We are in a spiritual war.  We are on a journey and its okay to be uncertain and unsure and scared.  I'm sure that the warriors of old felt all those same feelings we feel now.  But if you are striving to live for HIM than you can trust He has you.  Even when you stumble and fall. He has you.

YOU BELONG TO HIM.