Life is a Battle!
A friend told me recently, “I avoid conflict! I’ll do anything to get out of conflict!”
I was tempted to add to his last sentence, “… except kill yourself.”
Can you live life and avoid conflict or battles?
In my devotional reading today I read these two quotes:
Life is not victory, but battle. (1)
Combat comes before victory. (2)
The sum of the two could read:
Life is a battle which precedes victory!
The presence of evil and the reality of sin assure us that life is a battle between good and evil. This is the story of life … Good and Evil are in a battle to the finish. Only one can win the battle.
People often complain that the Bible, especially the Old Testament and The Book of Revelation, is a gruesome battlefield which does not seem befitting for the people of God.
It’s a valid complaint because the battle of Good and Evil is the story of The Bible. We often forget that the cosmic battle between Good and Evil is fought everyday on earth, as well as in the heavens.
Thus, the ultimate question of life is,
“Which will be the victor? Good or evil?”
I believe both will win.
Evil will win the battle of the flesh and Good will win the battle of the cosmos.
However, since the Eternal will always outlive the Temporal, I am casting my lot with the God, the Eternal Good!
Martin Luther wrote in his great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God:
Though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
– – –
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
Yes, life is a battle! This is the bad news.
The Good News is: Jesus wins!
It’s good to know who will win!
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Samuel G. Hardman and Dwight Lyman Moody, Thoughts for the Quiet Hour (Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1998).
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Reimann, Jim; Cowman, Mrs. Charles E. (2008-09-02). Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings (p. 239). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
Bread Crumbs - Devotions for Life 