Man of War

“To be or not to be” is the question I find myself pondering this chilly eve spring morning. Another early rise, as I wait with anticipation for my Heavenly Fathers voice to ring true. Sunrise yet a long way off and yet with baited breath I eagerly await His instruction! I am learning to love these early mornings as I know I will of a certainty hear the voice of my GOD. “Be still and listen” now rings true to my ear; just me, my thoughts and some running water outside my study window and silence, what bliss! Absolutely no disturbance from family or foe as my mind processes so many thoughts at the same time, looking to latch onto that which is now relevant. “To be or not to be?” Although this is one of Shakespeare’s famous quotes it could well be a banner for the Christian. It fits into so many building blocks within the Christians travels. That fine line that I have at times foolishly crossed, “being all things to all men” taken out of context and leaving many a scar; zeal without knowledge! And yet this also has been my journey and even those bad decisions molding me into the person I now am. Oh that God would save a wretched sinner like me boggles my mind and yet it deepens my gratitude, praise alone belong to my God and King!

Although I do not like David sit in some cave in the early hours of the morning searching the inner depths of his heart, I can somehow relate to his experience as he must have waited for God’s instruction for that day. Processing all his victories and failures along the way; to have but a snippet of David’s heart will suffice. May my dependence on the grace of my God grow in strength from here on in, is my prayer. To share in the experiences of my Lord and Saviour even now is what we have all been called to experience. This then is what the Christian has before him. Our natural minds looks to shirk our responsibility but the Spirit drives us to share in His suffering, so that we may understand what it meant for Him to die in our place; It is these actual experiences that hone and fashion us into His image. We must learn to be settled by them and not to continuously shirk them! O what love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be named amongst the sons of God, bless His name!

This then was the plea of the Apostle Peter, one who knew what it meant to wrestle with himself; “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1Peter 5:10) – In other words to consolidate us upon the call we have been called to. We are now at work and we need to understand the responsibility of that call, it is not a time for rest, that will come in the not too distant future but for now we are at war and we are to be men of war. It is a high calling and very foreign to the ways of the world. Their slogan is “only the strong will survive”, but ours is “turn the other cheek”. We have been called to go beyond the call of duty; “To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” (Luke 6:29-30)   

    

It is easy to love those who love us as this comes naturally. The Lord Jesus loved those who crucified him and in his dying moments had this to say; “Father forgive them…” – "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” (Luke 6:32-33)   

   

It is now time for men to be men, or maybe I should rather direct this at myself, it is time to man up! May God give me the resolve to see it through is my prayer! I am persuaded that through these types of encounters I will experience the sweetness of what it meant for Christ to die for a wretch like me! This then is the call and I have heard the voice of my Father with clear distinction, it is one thing to hear and then to soon forget, but quite another to apply what we have heard to our daily lives, be merciful Father I pray, help me man up and be what I have been called to be, A MAN OF WAR!

Signing off

Tyrone