Fighting Battles

The only reason that people carry weapons is to attack or if they think they will be attacked.

Matthew 26.47-56

Reference:  v.51  With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  I was watching a drama series the other day on TV.  There was a lady whose house had been broken into while her husband was away.  While her physical injuries from the encounter with the intruder were minor, the fear that this could happen again was overwhelming.  One of the solutions to calming her fears was to have a weapon in the house.  They hoped she would never have to use it but she had the reassurance that it was there if needed.
The only reason that people carry weapons is to attack or if they think they will be attacked.  When we read about Jesus being arrested we see that one of “Jesus’ companions” was carrying a weapon.  I don’t know if that was a regular accessory for commoners to be carrying weapons but it does show that they were aware that they might be confronted.  Being in Jesus’ company was not the safest place to be.  There were very powerful people who wanted Jesus permanently removed and a few disciples were not going to stand in their way.

Application:  Even with the fear that His companions felt, they were still willing to be with Jesus.  They were seriously putting their lives on the line to follow Him.  They knew that it was coming to a life or death situation and instead of fleeing (at this point) they armed themselves.  We can also come to times in our lives when it seems challenging to follow Jesus.  It may be a time issue or a priority difference.  For me it has never been a life or death situation however the pressure of time, resources, and career have often tempted me away from being close to God.  Are we willing to fight against the battles of this world to stay in close companionship with Jesus?  Sometimes the fight is a no-brainer, however sometimes it takes all our strength to stay on track.

Prayer:  Lord, we know the best place to be is in Your presence.  So often we allow ourselves to get caught up in our own self worth that we take our focus off you.  May we keep putting our own lives on the line so we can be close to You.  Amen.

What are some of the battles in your life that lead you away from putting your life on the line for Jesus?

Matthew