But often all this information and intellectual understanding doesn’t seem to cut it?
It’s like how Spirit Warrior opens up… getting off the jet and walking into the war – where anyone can get shot and taken out at any time.
Picture walking off the boat in the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, I think many Christians have gotten taken out before they even entered the fight. Their Christian walk and impact on the world is little more than kinder words and Sunday service.
We walked from the safety of home and have set foot into armed conflict for a much greater kingdom. Webber brings the spiritual battle before us into real life conflict. We are left with unveiled faces… aren’t we?
Or do we just know the war is going on but are not engaged in it… like Iraq.
We are often alone, unarmed and incompetent on how to fight our opponent. I have a tough time figuring out when I am in battle and when I am just failing in my weaknesses or struggling with the fears of inadequacies I hold.
It reminds me of Pastor Tissel’s dreams of waking before St. Peter and seeing that he has not prepared the body for service. It’s not his fault, I think it is the whole American Church that lost sight of combat and warfare, lost sight that we have an enemy.
But the Lord says He has given us a kick-butt program for our battles within and without.
We have each other.
We have a long journey together ahead. This is a war that will last our lifetime. This is the time God has called Eastridge to suit up and really get to know our brothers in arms.
And then we shall see when and where our Commander in Chief gives our orders.
This is our mission this week: Pray for your teammates in this battle.
Whatever lies ahead, just over the mountain, the valley or simply to get us onto Sunnyside, we will need the Lords help. Satan definitely doesn’t want us to become united or established. We are just fighting to get a beachhead.
This is a precious time in our lives when we can decide to make a difference in Christ’s army or fall back to become a casualty. The relationships we build right here and now are the ones we will depend upon in the coming engagements. And possibly, we will cling to them until our last breath.
For we don’t know where the battle will be fought tomorrow.
Let’s be grateful for our brothers and the work of Jesus Christ in our lives.
Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering: for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds… encouraging each other.
Hebrews 10:23-25
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P.S. If you have not teamed up with your battle buddies, please shoot an email to Tom O’Grady. He has graciously become our sub-commander under the Commander in the war ahead.