The weary soldier

Back, I'd say a good twenty years ago or longer, Janet Paschal had a song called "Another Soldier's Coming Home." In it, she sang about the senior saint of God that has valiantly fought the good fight of faith and is now entering into death victorious. Tonight however, I have to see that song in a different light.

The song starts out "His back is bent and weary. His voice is tired and low. His sword is worn from battle and his steps have gotten slow. But he used to walk on water, or it seemed that way to me. I know he moved some mountains and he never left his knees."

As we grow in Christ, we do get weighed down and weary. There is a battle which rages around us each and every day, whether we are prepared for it or not. That comes with the "job" of being a believer. 1 Peter 5:8 says that our advesary the devil roams around as a roaring lion, SEEKING whom he may devour. Scripture also tells us in John 10:10 that the thief comes but to steal, kill AND destroy but that Christ has come so that we could have life and even more abundantly. These scriptures don't paint the picture of a domesticated kitty cat swatting around a little mouse in play before it's ultimate demise. No, they tell us that the enemy wants us dead. When he can't take our lives, he will do all that he can to destroy us by any means necessary.

These means will include those who you hold near and dear to you: friends, family, spouse. These are the ones that know you most intimately, besides the One that created you. The enemy will use that knowledge to grasp at you with all his might, dragging and clawing his way into your head, into your heart and into your spirit. Once past the head and the heart, the spirit grows weak quickly and the enemy will move in for the kill shot.

The soldier that is spoken of in that first verse there, he has faced many of these battles over the course of his lifetime. His "sword" is worn from the battle because he knew where his defense came from. He overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of his testimony (Rev. 12:11). He knew that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him (Philippines 4:13) and that whatsoever he asked in prayer, believing, he would receive (Mark 11:24).

This week, I have been weary. I have been through it and did not know if I would make it. I am still weary tonight, but there is a sword in my hand, a fire in my spirit and a prayer on my lips. When I feel overwhelmed, I will praise Him through the storm and lift my hands to Him in worship. I am a soldier, worn and weary, but putting on my armor to do battle for Him.