When I was young I was a skinny weakling. I didn’t know how to fight and was constantly picked on by bullies. While playing basketball in our neighborhood park one Saturday afternoon, an older boy picked a fight with me. Although I lost every fight I ever had, I wasn’t a coward so I stood my ground. My face soon became a punching bag for that mean kid. It wasn’t pretty and I needed help.
After being hit several times, someone finally came to my rescue. I wish I could say it was my macho big brother or a kind-hearted muscle man who stepped up to save me but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. It was someone who brings shame to every young man who needs help, it was my younger sister. She saw what was happening and came running to my rescue. She got right in the bullies face and started hitting him. He realized her fury and took off. I was thrilled that I was no longer being punched but I was also humiliated. There is nothing more embarrassing for a boy than to have his younger sister win a fight for him.
I’m so glad those years are past and I don’t have to stand up against bullies any more. But the battles of life rage on in much the same way as in my young life. I’m constantly faced with challenges both spiritually and naturally. Maintaining healthy relationships, walking pure before God, fulfilling the purpose God has for my life and maintaining my physical healthy – all these and more are daily battles I face. Just like a wicked bully, there is an enemy who wants to destroy me or at least make me ineffective and miss the goal God has planned for my life.
It’s reassuring to know I don’t face life’s battles alone. Jesus stands with me and helps me fight every battle. In fact, He is my strength and He is the one who fights the enemy on my behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote this about the tremendous challenges he had; “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom. 8:37) When King Jehoshaphat was facing an overwhelming enemy a prophet comforted him with these words, “Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronc. 20:15)
Everyday we should renew our committment to the Lord. We should set our hearts to walk with Him and live in Him. When we do, He will fight our battles and He will be the one who rescues us.
1 comment:
I was reading this and it made me think of another story in the OT of an entire army of men saved by two woman, Deborah and Jael. Think how much more their humiliation that an entire army relied on woman compared to your fight with a bully and your sisters rescue. It is funny, God will use the weak and foolish things to shame the strong, sometimes, not saying you were meant to be shamed, just a thought about women and men
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