"Dragon!"

They say that play is a child's work.  Whether or not that is always the case, the five-year-old boy was taking his play very seriously.  The goofy antics of his two-year-old brother would not distract him from his mission.

Equipped with the plastic armor from the dress-up closet, the older brother solemnly surveyed his knightly jurisdiction in the basement.  His little brother understood the role play.  "Dragon!" he squealed gleefully and took off running, expecting his brother to follow.

His elder brother didn't move a muscle.  With great seriousness to match his weighty responsibility, he turned to his younger brother.  "No," he said calmly.  "Knights don't run away from dragons."

Provided For
If there is ever any question about whether or not Christians will face difficulty in this world, Paul's conclusion to Ephesians takes care of that.  After reading about "schemes of the devil," "cosmic powers over this present darkness," and "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:11-12), it's no wonder we need armor for this life.

But, just like every other true need we face in this life our Good Shepherd "'knows what you need before you ask him'" (Matthew 6:8).  Undoubtedly, we need armor and, just as assuredly, He provides it.

Imagine a knight in medieval times given his first coat of armor.  It would be strong.  It would perfectly fit his needs in battle.  It would be a gift.

In the same way, as Christians, we are given our own coats of armor, as illustrated in Ephesians 6.  The armor of God is strong.  It is exactly what we need.  It is a free gift.

Our Captain gives us everything we need.  Truth, righteousness, readiness from the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God - all of it is provided for the soldiers of God.

A Scaredy-Knight

Imagine the king visiting that same knight in medieval times and asking how the battle went.  Imagine the king's response if the knight replied that he had never fought in battle...

King: "You haven't fought at all?  You have been a knight for some time now and you still haven't served in battle?  Why not?"

Knight: "To be honest, I don't want to be hurt.  I'm afraid."

King: "But I gave you a coat of armor!  A brand new coat of armor that fits you well and perfectly matches your needs in battle!  Armor is made to be used, friend.  It will protect you as you wage warfare for the kingdom."

A conversation like this probably never happened - I know.  But how often do we hold that knight's excuse in our hearts?

Whatever Comes

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul builds a case for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and our eventual resurrection into eternal life.  Toward the end of the chapter, the climax of his case, he exults: "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

It's true - the victory is ours!  Eternally won by Jesus' sacrifice, our inheritance is "kept in heaven" for us (1 Peter 1:4) and nothing can ever change that.  We are Christ's.  We are His children, and, if you will, knights in His kingdom equipped with armor He provides.

And armor is made to be used.

After Paul's triumphant statement in 1 Corinthians 15, he finished the chapter with a charge: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Steadfast.  Immovable.  Always abounding in God's work.  He has given us the victory, so our work will never truly fail.

When we face "schemes of the devil," "cosmic powers over this present darkness," and "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places," there will be times when lies and problems cloud our view of our sure victory.  But we have no need to fear.  No matter how dark, difficult, or dangerous, no matter the risk or the problem or the struggle, we have been given the victory and are equipped to stand in the battle and face whatever comes.

Knights don't run away from dragons.

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The Day in the Middle

Sometimes I wonder about the silence of Scripture.  I mean, what happened after the wedding in Cana where Jesus' first recorded miracle occurred - did the bride and groom ever know what had happened behind the scenes?  Did Jonah ever come to terms with God's mercy on Nineveh?  What about Naaman's servant girl after he was healed - and Naaman?  How did their lives change after the miraculous touched their world?

How about this one: What happened the day after Christ's crucifixion?

All four Gospel accounts give details of the grievous events of Good Friday and then focus on the triumph of Sunday morning.  They all fall strangely silent about the day in the middle: What was it like the day after Jesus died?

We are not given many clues.  The chief priests and Pharisees, who had long berated Jesus for "working" on the Sabbath, took some time that Sabbath day to stand before Pilate and request a guard on Jesus' tomb (Matthew 27:62-66).  In contrast, Luke tells us that those who buried Jesus and cared for Him "...rested according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56b).

Imagine the arrogant pomp of the Pharisees on that first Sabbath without the One who angered them so much.  What Torah text did they choose to read in the synagogue when they knew He would not be there to set them straight?  What about Nicodemus?  Joseph of Arimathea?

What was Pilate feeling that day - or Herod?  Didn't they feel the ground shake on Friday afternoon?  Didn't they notice the eerie, unnatural darkness?  The day after the Son of God died...were they still thinking about their role in His death?

What about the violent crowd?  Did they attend the synagogue that Sabbath?  Did they feel they had ousted a heretic or betrayed the only One who welcome them as they were?  Didn't they remember the lunch that fed 5,000?  The healings?  The teachings?  As they entered the synagogue that Saturday, I wonder if they felt like everything was back to normal.  Did they miss the presence of the One who had stirred up their traditions - but brought power with Him?  Did they regret the previous night?

What must have been whirling around and around in the minds and hearts of Jesus' disciples that day.  How they must have replayed in their mind what He had done and what He had said, and how they must have questioned everything they had believed about the Messiah.

We can imagine not only the grief, but the guilt they felt at abandoning Him.   Peter must have agonized over his denials before the rooster crowed.  How all of them must have felt despair, fear, loneliness, shock.

The disciples must have felt abandoned.  They were confused.  All they had learned and lived for had fallen apart in less than twenty-four hours.  The reason for their hope, their faith, and their very lives - gone?

But not for long.

When we feel the contradictions of being an eternal soul in a dying world, when we know we are children of light but the darkness remembers our name, when we believe God has a plan, but we just don't see how it could work out alright...we aren't the first to feel that way.

Today, by grace, we know something the disciples didn't yet understand as they huddled in fear with questions racing through their minds.  We know the story isn't over yet.

Early the next morning, everything changed!

"And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”"
Acts 1:9-11

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What a Privilege: Access to the Throne of Grace

In Peter's second epistle, he wrote that some things in Paul's letters are "hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:15-16).  Good.  So I'm not the only one who hasn't figured it out.

Of course, Paul's letters are far from the only Biblical passages that leave me flummoxed.  Try this one: "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion" (Psalm 84:5).

Psalm 84:5 is very poetic.  I've heard of people choosing a "life verse," and I think I would definitely consider this one, even though at first glance I'm not sure I fully understand it.

The Gift

A few verses after Psalm 84:5, the psalmist writes, "O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!"  Hear my prayer.  Do we even realize the magnitude of prayer?  The sovereign God of the universe hearing us.

"What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer " (Joseph Scriven).

This beloved hymn calls prayer “a privilege.”  What a gift that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).  Why do we so often see it as an obligation, a chore?

How Should We Then Pray?

When the disciples asked the Son of God to teach them how to pray (Luke 11), Jesus did not give an in-depth exposition or point-by-point explanation of the ways and works of prayer.  When one of His disciples asked for a lesson on prayer, Jesus…prayed.

He prayed other times, too.  There are times He prayed alone, early in the morning.  There are times He prayed in front of crowds, or with the disciples, and many of His prayers are recorded for us.  Isn’t it incredible that we have record of how the Son of God prayed to God?  What other lessons about or demonstrations of prayer could we need?

Throughout the Bible, it is clear that prayer is not a way to get whatever we want as if there were a genie hiding in a bottle.  Ultimately, God is sovereign and will answer our prayers however He chooses.  While we may not fully grasp the role of prayer in the events around us, we do know that there is power in prayer (James 5:16) and that God will ultimately do what is best for us (Matthew 7:11).

The Highway

In his commentary, Matthew Henry wrote, "In whose heart are the ways of them, that is, who, having placed their happiness in God as their end, rejoice in all the ways that lead to him…They not only walk in these ways, but they have them in their hearts..."

What a beautiful thought.  We have the ways that lead to God in our hearts!

When faced with decisions you can’t make on your own, pray.  When worried about family members or friends, pray.  When exhausted at the prospect of another day like yesterday, pray. Don't just stand there.  Pray!

We have a highway to Zion in our hearts.  What an mind-blowing picture!  We don't have to wait in line or take a number until we’re summoned.  We don't have to travel for days or weeks to reach His throne.  Despite our hectic days and harried moments, God has put the highway to His presence in our hearts.

So pray.  And remember that He is praying for you.

"Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:33-34).

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The Best of It Is...

To be honest, there's not much I know about John Wesley.  I know that he came from a devout family, with influential parents and at least one well-known sibling.  I know he was a pastor a couple of centuries ago, but that pretty much sums up my knowledge of his life.

There is one other thing I know about John Wesley, and that is something he said.  You see, John Wesley was the author of one of my favorite quotes:

"The best of it is, God is with us."

Heard It All Before
We've heard it so much we forget.  Ironic, isn't it?  We could recite the Christmas story by heart, but how much do we really think about it?

How much can we really think about it?  How much can our limited gray matter really take in?  How can a human being limited by time, space, and ability grasp infinity?

Jesus didn't have to do it.  Centuries ago, He spoke and the world became.  At His command, the Red Sea parted.  By His decree, kings and kingdoms rose and fell.  Nations came and went at His bidding.

No, He didn't have to do it.  But He did it anyway.  He entered our world - as one of us.

The One who established time now lived in it.  The One who created everything was now limited by human finiteness.  He entered His world as a baby, weak in ability.

Emmanuel
Each name of Christ has unsearchable meaning, but I think "Emmanuel" is special.  It means "God with us."  God with us!  God.  With.  Us.

Not fixing our problems from afar.  Not declaring us free but avoiding all association with us.  We praise Him for His power and thank Him for His work in our lives, but John Wesley was right.  The best of it is that no matter our need, no matter our situation, no matter our pain - God is with us!

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing."

Merry Christmas.

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Stormy

We knew bad weather was possible, but the weather alerts had expired and the rain had ceased to fall.  With this in mind, my brother and I sloshed through muddy water and soaked ground to get to our car and start the thirty-minute drive home.  We called home, and our dad suggested we wait a few more minutes to make sure the bad weather was past.  As we pulled to the side of the gravel road, the rain starting coming down hard - again.  We thought we would wait about ten minutes and then get back on the road.

Then we heard it.

Plink.  Plunk.  Plonk.

There was nothing we could do but sit and wait as the hailstones dropped down all around us.

Dad had said that we should miss the brunt of the storm, and we knew of no tornadoes in our area.  So  there was nothing for us to do but wait, watching the torrents of rain come down and laughing about our shoes that were soaked from walking through muddy water.  There was a freedom in knowing that we would come out fine - even if our car ended up with a little hail damage.

Every day people all over the world face problems and difficulties - the storms of life.  Some are quick, summer thunderstorms, leaving as quickly as they come and bringing a cool breeze to a hot day.  Some are tornadoes, wreaking havoc and destruction on everything around us.  Some are hailstorms - not earth-shattering or life-changing, but you don't want to be outside when they come.

In the 1800s, a man penned the hymn, "A Shelter in Time of Storm":

"The raging storms may round us beat,
A Shelter in the time of storm
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A Shelter in the time of storm."

Ira Sankey, music director for D.L Moody, found the hymn and set it to a different tune, commenting, "It was said to be a favorite song of the fisherman on the north coast of England, and they were often heard singing it as they approached their harbors in the time of storm."

For my brother and I, our storm was more of a slight interruption than a catastrophe.  We even had fun while we waited, as my brother kept changing the radio stations, trying to hear what all of them were saying.  We listened to the list of counties under tornado warnings, finding humor in some of the county names we had never heard before.  One station was off the air, and my brother pretended the static on the airwaves was actually artillery fire (it would take a boy to think of that).

Even with the hail dropping all around us (and on the roof above our heads), it was as if we didn't have a care in the world.  And we really didn't.  We knew we would be able to go home eventually.  We knew we would be safe until then.  No matter what storm was raining down on us, we could be at peace.

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

    for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

    till the storms of destruction pass by."

Psalm 57:1

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