My Course in Life

Scripture Passage that Caught my attention today: Deuteronomy 20:2-5 Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops, 3 and shall say to them: “Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart, or be afraid, or panic, or be in dread of them; 4 for it is the LORD your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory.” 5 Then the officials shall address the troops, saying, “Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another dedicate it.

Observation: This passage offers a hearty dose of encouragement AND reality! It basically has two parts: Part 1 is what you really need to know, the concept to which one should really pay attention. Part 2 is the ‘oh, by the way….” that helps keep everything in perspective.

Application: It would be very easy to simply focus on verses 2-4. These verses offer heartfelt reminders of the power of God. They encourage—no…DEMAND—that people not lose heart or be afraid or panic or even live in dread. It’s actually a tough pill to swallow because I have, at times, felt all of those things. Perhaps you have too. But it’s encouraging to know that, with the Lord purportedly both with us and fighting for us, victory is assured. What a great point on which to end!

Not so fast! Reality sets in with verse 5 (which is followed by a few more similar verses). Some are likely to die in battle, even if they are on the victorious side.

Isn’t this essentially the story we see played out through Jesus? He did not lose heart, he was not afraid, he did not panic. And although in the garden he did express a bit of dread, he still followed through. The Lord was indeed with him and most surely fought for him, but he still died in the battle. The ‘victory’ wasn’t avoiding death and the like but, rather, embracing it. Who of us should expect to fare any better?

It occurs to me that for any victory to be accomplished, for any truly new life to begin, something has to die, even if it’s just our pride. But are we willing to let it be so?

Prayer: Dear God, I always thought that victory meant victory. You know…winning and triumph and big smiles and high fives and all the rest. But you keep teaching me otherwise. To be honest, it’s kind of a downer…or at least very different. I’m still trying to get used to it. I mean I believe it…I think…at least sometimes. Maybe that’s your class for me is not yet over. My ‘course’ in life is not yet done. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Deuteronomy 19-21 and Galatians 3)