The Battle

Belongs to the Lord

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been listening to the news.  This isn’t always a good idea for me. I like to keep informed, but sometimes, I think evil is winning.  I hear about Christians imprisoned simply for sharing their faith.  I hear of school shootings and other children being hurt. Then I see the rampant rise immorality in this country and many others and it all makes me wonder.

I used to tell my students they were in a battle, a battle for their hearts and minds.  I still believe we are in this battle, but I started to think we were losing the war.

That’s when a portion of verse started to run through my head.  The battle belongs to the Lord.  I found it was tied to one of the favorite Bible stories I’ve taught many a student, the story of David and Goliath.

In the story the Israelites are in a battle they feel they can’t win. The battle they are in is pretty much at a stale mate.  The opposing army keeps taunting them and telling them, the whole thing can be over if their best fighter is willing to fight, one of one, with the opposing army’s champion. 

Their champion is a giant.  He’s feet taller than most men and he’s an experienced fighter.  No one wants to challenge him.

It would seem to be hopeless.

Young David comes to the battle line to deliver lunch to his brothers.  He hears this giant provoking the Israelites and then he hears him say things against the God of Israel. 

David knows he can’t let this alone, so he alone challenges the giant.

1 Samuel 17:47

⁴⁷ “The Lord doesn’t save by using a sword or a spear. And everyone who is here will know it. The battle belongs to the Lord. He will hand all of you over to us.”

 

David knew that God fights for the righteous.  David steps up with no armor, no sword, just five smooth stones and a sling shot.  Goliath is killed.

This reminded me.  Even though the battle today is not against flesh and blood, the battle still belongs to the Lord.

Don’t lose heart, we will win in the end.

Busy

Busy, Busy

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been busy, busy, busy.  I was on vacation the last few weeks, so I returned to work with a mountain of new e-mails and a ton of open projects.  At the same time, I’m being considered for a promotion, so I had meetings to interview with various managers about it. 

To top it all off, I’m trying to finish my book to get it ready to be published.  I was wondering how to get a great cover when the idea hit me.  I could put my niece and her husband on the cover. They are both young and attractive.  My story is set in California and they live in California.  What I needed was some period clothing, especially for my niece.

I e-mailed to ask them if they could do this and they are so sweet, they agreed.  Then I started driving them crazy with costume ideas and where to go to find things. My niece was slower in responding, but that didn’t deter me from sending ideas.  Finally, she sent me an e-mail that said she was sorry, but she was busy and she would get to it.

My response was – I understand busy.

I think all of us understand busy.  Our lives are so full of things we need to do.  Sometimes finding a minute just to think and plan is hard.

Psalm 46:10

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

God sometimes needs us to be still.  He needs us to be quiet.  He needs us to seek Him out.  Most of all, we need time with Him.  Don’t forget what’s important in the midst of the crazy busy lives.  God is.

I Love My

Family

 

 

Somewhere in time, the week before last, I was able to visit my family.  I don’t think my sister expected it to be such a big deal, but it started with her son graduating from High School.  She really wanted my mother to be there and I didn’t want my mother traveling alone.  She is getting older and she doesn’t fly much, so I thought my presence would help.

I have brothers and sisters in the area so they came to the graduation celebration.  Since my mother was going to be there, other siblings who lived farther away came as well.  All of my brothers and sisters made it to my sister’s house at least one time during the week.  It was really fun seeing everyone.  In addition to my brothers and sisters, there were several nieces and nephews – not all, but a good amount.

It ended up being a very special time and I took many pictures to remember it by. 

Because of my traveling, I haven’t written a blog in a couple of weeks.  That is unusual for me.  I always strive to get something new out every Saturday.  Since I had skipped a couple of weeks, I prayed for something special to put on my blog, but all I could think about is family.

There is not a place in the Bible where God says, this is how you do a family.  He instead gives us snippets. 

The Bible talks about husbands and wives.  It talks about a mother sheltering her children and the love of a mother.  It talks about children being a gift. Out of all the possible options the one that stuck in my head was a verse in Proverbs.

Proverbs 17:17

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity

When I read this, I take it to mean that family is with you through thick and thin.  I would actually revise the last part to read – a mother, father, brother, sister, niece, nephew are born to help you bear adversity.  When I have had tough times in my life, after I cry out to God, I have gone to my family.  We can’t always help each other, but we are there to listen and care.  A little compassion goes a long way sometimes.

Families are funny.  There are good times and bad times.  Times of struggle and times of triumph, but through it all – family is for life.   

I love my family!

The Crabb Family From Bill and Gloria Gaither - Through the Fire [Live] from the-crabb-family on GodTube.