So I’m a little slower than Samuel to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” It’s been a couple days now where sleep has been elusive. The weather was bad last night, and CNN reported advancing Iraqi troops. There was nothing we could do to help. Any one of us would have flown if they’d let us. I guarantee it. But we were held on the ground due to sandstorms. So I came home early in hopes of a good night’s sleep, but again, I’m awake a couple hours after lying down. This time it seems very clear why.

We recently finished reading Matthew as an Officers’ Christian Fellowship here in Saudi Arabia. We were each impressed with a number of things that we’d never noticed before. For me, some of that was seeing how much of Jesus’ constant thought pattern dwelt on things beyond this world; how often he spoke of heaven; how often he bypassed a person’s verbal question to deal with his or her heart. Granted, he is fully God as much as he is fully man, but if I am to emulate him (and "Christian" means "Christ-like"), then my thoughts should follow his. My priorities and perspective should become more like his, more influenced by the fact that this world is not all there is. Here’s a story:

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. 'Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around” (2 Kings 6:15-17).

There is far more to the universe than our finite senses reflect, and we have an active role in that "more." "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12).

So there’s a battle we’re all engaged in, but we don’t enter the fight unarmed: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

God fights for us, if we pray, as he did over and over in the Scriptures. For what should we pray? In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will" (Romans 8:26-27).

Let’s all join as fellow warriors in prayer for our soldiers and our leaders, that God’s will would be done in the events of today. And be encouraged, because in the end, God will win:

Moses answered the people, "...Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today..." "The Lord will fight for you... "(Ex 14:13-14).

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have over come the world” (Jesus in John 16:33).

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35,37-39).

'Kirby'  
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