Week 17 Tuesday

Stand Your Ground

Today’s scripture selection: Second Samuel 1-4

Key verse: Second Samuel 1:12

 

     If you read very much of the Old Testament it doesn’t take long before you can feel battle fatigue.  The long, relentless conflicts; the bloody battles; the constant back and forth of power struggles – these fill the pages of Old Testament history.

     Sometimes, there is a lull in the battle.  And even those who have been knee deep in bloody conflict pause and lament the high cost of those wars.

     David did this after Saul and his son Jonathan were killed.  And, even as he continued to take up the sword against his enemies, he wondered how long that sword would have to be used.

     In our own day we might wonder the same thing.

     How long, Lord?  How long will nations be at each other’s throats?  How long will democracies and dictatorships alike have to sharpen their teeth for battle?

     I personally believe there will never be a time without such conflict.  That is, not until the Lord himself returns and brings an end to it.  No perfect society; no perfect government; and therefore no cessation of conflict.

     This is in no small part due to the fact that we are constantly in spiritual battle with what the Bible calls the “powers of this dark world and…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Spiritual warfare isn’t just the stuff of horror films.  It’s real and it’s the source of all human conflict, personal or international in scope.

     What is the scripture’s counsel in light of this sad fact?

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

 

Wars – big and small – personal and communal – they won’t stop as long human nature as any to do about it.  God will end it one day.  But in the meantime – stand your ground – with God’s resources close at hand, and victory will be yours.

 

Prayer: Almighty God, I wear your armor and trust in your protection against evil.  Thank you, God, for that protection.

AMEN.