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A God-Sized Victory

SunbeamAs I mentioned in worship a couple of weeks ago I have been reading a book by Mark Batterson entitled “All In.” It’s a challenging book rich in spiritual insights.

In chapter 9 of his book, Batterson contrasts the daring nature of Jonathan with that of his father, King Saul, as recorded in I Samuel 14. The Israelites were once again facing their long-time foe, the Philistines who had an army that heavily outnumbered them. Saul was poised under a pomegranate tree meeting with his advisers — waiting. But Jonathan decided to take action. He and his armor bearer left the camp to investigate the situation.

I Samuel 14:6
“Let’s go across to see those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether He has many warriors or only a few!”

Jonathan realized the situation called for action. He understood that the Philistines had a larger army and were an appreciable foe. Jonathan however didn’t have his eyes set on the substantial foe but rather on his colossal, enormous, massive and tremendous God who was able to come to their rescue no matter the circumstance.

When Jonathan stated in verse 6, “Perhaps the Lord will help us,” he wasn’t questioning God’s ability or willingness to come to their aid, but rather he was affirming without God’s help they could not prevail. The situation called for a God-sized solution.

Batterson expresses in his book that most people operate out of the opposite mentality: perhaps the Lord won’t act on our behalf. Batterson states, “They let fear dictate their decisions rather than faith. So they end up under a pomegranate tree on the outskirts of Gibeath.” (I Samuel 14:2).

How many times have we robbed ourselves of a miracle God has in store for us by allowing fear to paralyze us? We have our sights so entrenched on the problem that is all we can see. Our problems consume and disable us. Batterson says it this way:

“Our lack of guts is really a lack of faith. Instead of playing to win, we play not to lose.”

Men and women of faith however would rather make mistakes than miss opportunities. They step out in faith realizing the victory is not theirs but comes from the Lord.

I end with a passage from a college commencement speech given by Batterson which reiterates this point.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.

Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions.

Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.

Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.

Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey.

Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution.

Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.

Stop playing it safe and start taking risks.

Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can.

Live like today is the first day and the last day of your life.

Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God.

Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. Take a flying leap of faith.

Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails.

Quit holding out. Quit holding back.

Go all in with God. Go all out for God.

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FOCUSED

One of the casualties of aging to which I find myself a victim is the dimming of the eyes.  Ecclesiastes 12 counsels the young person to remember God, their Creator, in their youth before the aging process takes over and various faculties, as listed in verses 1-7, are diminished.

Clear eyesight when we are young may be something we take for granted. However, as we age the realization that our vision is not as sharp as it once was takes hold. “Readers” become standard fare for all intricate tasks. Our once keen laser sharp focus is now blurry and in need of help to restore its youthfulness. That restoration is found through glasses or some sort of rejuvenating surgery. Especially in the early stages of this degenerative eye problem we may be able to fake it and get by, but eventually we must relent and do something to correct the problem.

There is a parallel between physical and spiritual vision. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was written in the early 20th century. The hymn writer, Helen Lemmel, was strongly influenced by the artist and later little-known missionary, Lilias Trotter. Miss Trotter started off as an aspiring artist but early on felt a call from God to reach the lost. She began her ministry by rescuing prostitutes from the streets of London. Later she went to Africa, without missionary funding, and served for over forty years. While there she penned a poem that would greatly influence the writing of the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  The poem was entitled “Focused: A Story and Song.” 

The poem centers around focusing one’s attentions fully and completely upon God. She writes that Satan knows that if a person uses all their powers of concentration on being led by God’s Spirit, they will have a great intensity and impact upon those to whom they are called to minister. Lilias Trotter, writing in a more formal use of the English language than we are accustomed, shares some timeless insights which could very easily have been written today but with a different accent. She writes: “Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen good harmless worlds at once—art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the ‘good’ hiding the ‘best’ even more effectually than it could be hidden downright frivolity with its smothered heartache at its own emptiness.”

The “good” hiding the “best” leads us to emptiness.  Could this be true of us today especially as American Christians? Have we sought the “good” while missing the “best”? The chorus of the hymn, which we will be singing in worship this Sunday, says it best.

                Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,                                                                                                                                        And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Keith Pate

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