Stand

Could you imagine being an athlete preparing for the Olympics. All those years of eating well, sleeping properly, training hard. All those days of forcing your will to submit to that one goal. Those days when you just don't feel like it, forcing your body to submit. Doesn't matter the other circumstances in your life, everything must submit to this one goal. You have to admire the dedication and hard work of  athletes. But imagine being that athlete who puts in all those years of training and then doesn't bother showing up for the Olympics.

Imagine the student who has put in over 2,280 hours of homework in their time as a student. Who has attended 13,680 hours of classes. Who has written a few thousand books of notes. Who has been taught by at least 42 different teachers. Who has gained knowledge and learning skills. Who has used the resources of his parents to go through 348 pencils, 87 pens, hundreds of trees worth of paper, countless rulers, compasses, protractors  lunch boxes and other various school supplies. Imagine the students how has put in all this time, throwing away his last year of High School.

Imagine the Christian who has spent their lifetime believing. Who has spent decades in training, learning, being shaped. Who has spent years studying the Word and applying it to his life. Who has spent countless hours in conversation with God. Who has had a deep fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Who has learned to wear the Armour of God. Who has been trained in spiritual warfare and is prepared for battle. Who has learned what it is to trust, to have faith. Imagine such a Christian walking away when the battle is upon him.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

The whole purpose of our training and equipping is so that we will stand. What is the sense of all the training and preparation to prepare us to stand if, on that day of battle, we walk away? That would be a very sad life and one I would not want to live.

But truth be told, those who are active in their training and preparation never walk away. It is those who forget to train, who forget to prepare, who get distracted by other things, who end up falling away. It doesn't take long and it doesn't take much. In the end, we are very weak creatures, prone to failure and defeat. Our success is found in our source of all things. Our strength is never found in us but in Jesus Christ. It is when you unplug from that source or neglect the relationship that things begin to fade away quickly and we forget. Then when the day is upon us, we fold and are blown away with all those who are without Jesus. It is sad.

I have put in too much time to give up now. I have invested too much to walk away. This relationship is far too valuable for me to throw away. There is nothing of any greater value in this world and I must remind myself of that constantly. Every day is a training day, a day of preparation. When that day of evil is upon us I will stand because I have been trained to stand. What about you, mighty warrior of God? Have you settled the matter in your heart? Are you going all the way? Are you prepared to stand?