We’ve Arrived or Maybe Not!
This blog comes from a conversation yesterday with my dear sis-in-law who brought me up to date on Mom’s health. Seems Mom (now 99 & 8 months old) declines daily, and Karen’s responsibilities increase. As we spoke, Karen wasn’t complaining or dreading another day. She just kept laughing about her caregiving coping abilities in the daily battle. I said, “I love your merry heart. It is medicine that is keeping you sane!” Laughter and the joy of the Lord are in her “warrior” arsenal.
Karen hasn’t “arrived”, but after years of caregiving, she knows where her help comes from. She is still in great need of her Savior daily. She must lean on him…24/7. Sometimes retreating makes sense — but not on this team! The crazy good news is this – the battle is good. Good for us. It makes us warriors AND winners!
The most effective warrior in God’s army carries his sword (The Word of God) faithfully, always holding it close to their heart. For in every instance, “It is not by might, nor by strength, but by My Sprit,” says the Lord of Hosts. This mountain shall be removed, by my Spirit,” says the Lord,” (Zechariah 4:6)
God has the game plan that assures us all of a win — eventually. We often get “bruised and battered” in the combat, but the battle makes us wiser and more aware of the same old schemes and tactics of the enemy of our souls. We get stronger. He gets dumber. He is such a loser.
Our faith journey isn’t about arriving. It is about carrying on. And, carrying on, still might mean us having to carry some crosses. Jesus told His disciples to carry their cross. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
In Jesus’ day, a cross meant pain and suffering, but mainly it was a symbol of death. What Jesus was telling them is that they needed to put to death their own plans and desires, and then turn their lives over to Him and follow Him and His will every day.
Jesus doesn’t simply call us to believe that He exists, or even to believe that He saves us. He calls us to commit our lives to Him—to trust Him and follow Him as His disciples. He said, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).
So, daily, we pick up our little and gigantic “crosses” and we follow Jesus – no turning back. Our journey is about grabbing hold of the hem of Jesus’ garment and hanging on for dear life. And while we’re holding on, we trust that the enemy is waving the white flag of surrender and shouting “CEASE FIRE”! But we don’t cease fire. We are in it to win it and no doubt we will because the Lord is with us as a mighty warrior (Jeremiah 20:11).
I’m well acquainted with the battlefield, and those battle scars I wear? They are my testimony! Today, I keep pointing heavenward because you and I both know it is a miracle that we’re still here and we’re still standing — because of God’s amazing grace!
This faith ride that we’re on isn’t a one-way ticket where we can say “I’ve arrived!” It is a continual commute. It is a consistent day-by-day workout. We are in the middle of it each day and we will not surrender.
We will not give up because, God has the end-of-the-story already planned out and WE WIN! Daily, we suit up, show up and FORWARD march and very often we dance AND laugh with delight in the joys, the peace, the unrelenting love of our God Who leads us in victory!
“Christ, the royal Master leads against the foe; forward into battle. See, His banners go! Onward Christian Soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.”