Worship Instead Of War

"Ours is to rest."

WE HAVE NO DEFENSE. And it’s the worst feeling. Human nature asks us to fight back. The church often calls this spiritual warfare, condoning battle as “love one another.” Instead, let’s go back to Jericho where the nation of Israel is asked to walk around the walls and sing. Not set up truncheons and gather weaponry, form battle strategy. Their instruction was to worship.

Ours is to rest. It’s the worst feeling when you’re ready to fight back. “What? You want me to sit down?” But unneeded battle saves no one. It only stirs up hatred. This includes any and all forms of projected judgment. What we predict others will suffer is our defense but is not God’s nature. Who would ever “get saved” if He did that? No one.

What if Jesus had adopted the attitude of defense? That’s what we think He was doing when He got onto the Pharisees. He called them out for their behavior, we say, in order to embarrass them in public. No, He didn’t. He wasn’t making an example of them. He died for them. Facing Pilate and the angry crowd, He said nothing because He wouldn’t be like them. He wasn’t like them. Or us. He had no hate in Him, no sin, and needed no defense.

We are peacemakers, not pacifists. We are not weak and in a position of weakness, our lives being crucified at the expense of others, and yet, from God’s point-of-view, He asks that of us. We must turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) then set down our sword and trust God. Because that’s what it comes down to. We’re defending ourselves because we don’t fully trust God to come to our aid. We give up out of doubt, always in doubt. Whether we’re fighting people, emotions, sickness and disease. In Hebrews 11:6, God asks us to BELIEVE IN HIM and to BELIEVE HE IS A REWARDER. That means we’re not doing self-satisfaction. It isn’t our efforts that will get us “out of this mess”, except to obey where He’s told us to go.

Our life now, as God’s children, is actually supposed to be easy, peaceful, without fear or any hardship. We can live the rest of our time on this earth without encountering any accidents, any suddenlies. Wherever you put your trust in God is where you will stand. I’ve had enough stepping into holes I didn’t see (Psalm 91:13). What do we do then when life stirs us up, when that person says the wrong thing, or we get taken in a business deal, or our children are struggling in school, or the doctor gives a bad diagnosis? Minister Barry Bennett was given 30 days to live, but God said to trust him. He did, and he’s alive and cancer free. But it meant giving Jesus his doubts and leaning on the Holy Spirit for encouragement. Worship instead of war.

Lift God up and all else becomes strangely dim. And that’s the place we’re meant to be. On the edge of heaven, filled with Jesus so that everybody can see it.

“Unless we believe God, it is impossible for us to make God happy. Anyone who comes to God must believe him. That person must believe that God is really there. And they must believe that God is good to people. God gives good things to everyone who really wants to find him.” (Heb 11:6 EasyEnglish)

Photo by Niki Vas on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com