Daily devotion – the life of a soldier of Christ
Tragic floods on our east coast and the war in Ukraine continue to dominate our news media. Masks now made mandatory for all “children in Year 3 and above required to wear masks both at school and when in indoor public venues from Thursday.”
How does one keep the supposed ordinary things in life on even keel when all around us there seems to be an ever-increasing level of anxiety, situations where lives are lost, property destruction at the highest level and an overall shadow of grief and heartache?
This sadly is the world we are living in and there appears to be no pause in tragedy.
The Psalmist reminded us that God knows our frailty as humans – Psa 103:14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
This verse tells us that God is aware of how we are tracking with all these things happening around us. Knowing that He knows, is a comfort to our hearts because God does not just wish us good luck and tell us hope for the best. God is active in our lives and in our world it’s just that we often forget that He is working.
Even His own prophets at times when things were collapsing all around them question God.
Habakkuk 1: O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. 3 Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.
God’s reply to Habakkuk we all need to take note for the time we find ourselves in now – Habakkuk 1:5 “Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days. Which you would not believe, though it were told you.
It is in these times that our faith is indeed tested and tried. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. So what do we do?
We gather together as His Church every opportunity we have. We comfort and encourage each other and pray for one another. We remind ourselves and others that God is in control and we need to tell ourselves such as did King David.
Psa 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him. For the help of His countenance.
Our life remember is that of a soldier in a battle – which Paul constantly reminds us in his letters – Phl 2:25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
2Ti 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
Phm 1:2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
There is not just one war occurring in Ukraine. We as Christ’s children are in a bitter conflict with a very real enemy each day. Our armour never comes off! Our battle will not cease until Christ comes for us.
But we each day, by the power of Almighty God and the victory won at Calvary, and our Lord’s resurrection, help us each day to take new ground, claim new promises, and win.
Jesus said – Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Each day we can glorify our Lord by serving Him and taking His good news to a dying world.
This is our real life.