Continue To Fight
To have a living and active faith is not to sit back and think that the journey is complete once baptism is ticked off the list
Reference: v.29 Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah. (TNIV Bible)
Explore: The other day at church we had 23 people get baptised. What an awesome celebration. Each person had their own journey and individual experience of God, and had come to a place where they were to confess, before their church community, that they believed in Jesus and wanted to follow him. I was filled with such hope for our community of faith that we were growing spiritually and not just numerically. But there was an important message for each of the people getting baptised. While they were lowered into the water this event was a particularly special occasion along their faith journey, but it’s not the pinnacle and it’s not the end. From now on these people need to continue to wrestle with their faith in the midst of everyday life and strive to serve their Saviour in all they do. To have a living and active faith is not to sit back and think that the journey is complete once baptism is ticked off the list, it’s just the beginning. Each person who has progressed in their faith beyond the water has had to work hard at making Jesus a pivotal part of their life.
Application: The Israelites found themselves fighting against one of their own – the Benjaminites. They had done something horrendous and the Israelites had gone to punish them. Two times they had asked God if they should fight against the Benjaminites. God had said yes, but then the Israelites had been defeated. The third time they ask God what they should do and He instructs them to fight again and this time they would win. Did the Israelites rest that night and not bother to set up a plan, knowing that God would give them victory? No, they strategized and created an ambush and a plan of battle, so that when the next day of fighting arrived, they were ready for the clash. We know that God will give us victory, but that doesn’t mean we become lazy and just expect God to do all the work. We are encouraged to be active in our faith, so that when the time of battle comes, we are ready for the fight.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we become complacent in our faith. May we have the confidence of your victory and the determination to be a part of the plan. Amen.
What do you need victory over in your life?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.
1 comment:
Thanks for this post– it’s definitely very important to never grow complacent with what you have done so far, and always keep building on what you learn everyday. I actually think I will incorporate this devotion into my nephew’s baptism gift— I figure it’s a good way to celebrate the occasion while also helping him keep in mind the true meaning of the celebration. Thanks again for reiterating this very important lesson.