"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about ; seeking whom he may devour" - 1 Peter 5:8
"(Christians)...always evaluating where we've been...always reacting...searching for ways to settle in and find comfort in our sofa-like surroundings...yawning...slumbering in the sleepy warm twilight of sundown...we are yesterday-dwellers...avoiding the reality of today" - Chuck Swindoll (excerpt from essay - Prophet Sharing)
As I saw the celebrations in front of the White House and the beautiful accolades given to President Obama on May 2nd, I couldn't help but thinking to myself...didn't America hate this guy on May 1st? What a difference a day makes :) Interestingly, many believe that this is the defining moment of his presidency - they may be right. Nabbing the most wanted man in the world for the past 10 years is an achievement worth celebrating....but I wonder....for how long? I remember the words of Winston Churchill which he gave following England's first real victory against the Germans in November 1942: "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning". The killing of bin Laden is a great sentimental accomplishment for the United States, no doubt. The war on global terrorism, however, is far from over.
Many Christians approach living for Christ as an attempt to "capture a bad guy" - as a mission to be accomplished over a short period with "shock and awe". To our surprise after a spiritual battle is fought and won, the war rages on...and (just as we saw in Iraq) sometimes with even greater intensity. Yes! Victory is a cause for celebration, but if the war still rages the soldier must put his victories in context and seek after EVEN MORE VICTORY. In the Christian life, the moments of victory or defeat are only chapters in a book that will not be finished until we die or Jesus Christ returns for us. That is why the apostle Paul stated emphatically, "Brothers and sisters, I can't consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don't look back, I lengthen my stride, and I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God's heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus" - Phil. 3:13-14 (THE MESSAGE). Yesterday's victories will not suffice for today's challenges - so don't get apathetic (as Swindoll describes in the above excerpt), don't let down your guard, stop saying, "Well...I used to be or I used to do...", don't get distracted by the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat: GIRD UP YOUR LOINS TO WAR!
"No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs -- he wants to please his commanding officer" - 2 Timothy 2:4
Pastor Andrew Smith
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