and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on the mountain
heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a
bronze bow.
You have given me your shield of victory.
Your right hand supports me;
your help has made me great.
You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
Psalm 18:32-36
the word battle jumps out
as I read.
much of life
is lived on a
battlefield,
is it not?
perhaps not
a battlefield
in the literal
sense of the word,
although many have
fought and lived and died
on literal battlefields.
and we are so grateful
for bravery,
for sacrifice.
this battlefield
to which I refer is
one in the unseen.
a battle fierce
with consequences
far-reaching and eternal.
the battle is constant.
light vs darkness
good vs evil.
life vs death.
and we who are
Christ-followers
are in that battle.
it can be so easy
to simply live as
if the battle is
unrelated to
us
or to our
lives.
I know this to be
true
because
I have treated
the battle as such.
far too often,
far too long.
comfortable.
complacent.
content.
yep. been there.
but no longer.
the battle is real,
the stakes too high.
I have been purposely,
although imperfectly,
living and breathing
and praying on the
battlefield.
and I have come
to the conclusion
that the further
I stretch out of
being comfortable,
complacent,
content,
the fiercer
the fight.
the enemy
is in it to win,
but
never
will
that
happen!
he cannot win
a war that is already
won!
the life,
the death,
the resurrection
of Jesus
sealed the
victory.
the battles
will continue
until heaven
is home,
but we don't
fight alone.
Psalm 18:32-36
contain 10 promises.
ten reasons to have courage.
ten reasons to stay in the
fight.
and much of that fight
is fought on our knees
in prayer.
I have learned that
the battle will
leave scars.
the wounds
inflicted can
and will hurt.
I have been
tempted to
crawl back into
the comfort of my
comfort zone.
but I can't.
too much exists
in this world
that I cannot
unsee and unhear.
so in His strength,
I will fight on,
knowing that
I am called
to fight for
light and life,
justice and equity,
healing and wholeness.
and hope.
always there is hope
because His relentless love
pursues to the last heartbeat.
