For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deuteronomy 20:4, NIV

 

The songwriters (William Steffe and Julia Ward Howe) originally penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic in the 1800s. As a clarion call for taking up arms in the spiritual realm, it sends shivers down my spine. I have heard it sung at services and seen Christians undeniably moved.

 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free
While God is marching on

 

Glory, glory, hallelujah! x3
While God is marching on

 

Jesus always called us to a mission: dying to ourselves to help other men and women still living in the darkness without God in their lives. A mission that lets us take back what the devil has stolen, reclaiming it for Christ. The task at hand is immense. Billions still do not have a relationship with Christ.

 

I must confess that though I had been a regular churchgoer since my youth; I never knew what a true disciple of Jesus was until God showed it to me in his Word. And, my goodness, there were more than 12! Yes, it sounds so stupid now, but that was my level of ignorance before I really knuckled down and studied the Bible. And who knew that disciples were called Christians? I didn’t have a clue about that either. " … So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Acts 11:26)

 

I was shocked to discover I was not a true Christian. No surprise there, since I didn’t know what it was to start with, but I was certainly thrilled to become one. Then graciously saved by faith, I understood that the life I had chosen to live would come with huge responsibility.

 

Disciples of today and yesteryear have always been called to get the Word of God out to the world, to deny themselves, take up the cross and follow Christ. As learners, disciples are constantly called to a life of learning about how to be more like their Lord.

 

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." (Romans 8:29)

No mean feat, yet empowered by the Spirit, we have our work cut out for the rest of our earthly sojourn.

 

Prayer: Lord God, in those moments, when we falter, which is inevitable, may we remember not only the battle but also the abundant grace available as we march on to the drumbeat of your mission. Amen