DAY 5
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10
PRESS PAUSE: Before you do anything else, take a moment to reflect on and celebrate all the Lord did in you, for you, and spoke to you yesterday.
READ: Luke 19:1-10
Many times, as we read through scripture, we can become so awestruck with the many miracles we see Jesus perform (This list of stories would include the provision of Jesus when He fed the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21 and then feeding the four thousand in Matthew 15:32-35, as well as the healing power of Jesus found Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 1:40-42, and Luke 7:11-15, just to name a few.) that we almost forget about the most important miracle of all like the one we read of today - salvation. A miracle we have all benefited from in our own lives personally, as believers.
Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Salvation is a gift freely given, unearned and undeserved. And it is when we slow down long enough to allow ourselves to truly grasp the depth of the miracle of our own salvation that we begin to cultivate a heart of gratitude and humility, leading to a deep passion and fire to ignite within us to share this transformative experience with others.
How many of you grew up in Sunday School singing the song “The Lord’s Army”? For those of you who began your journey with Jesus later in life or who are simply too young to remember, here’s a little taste of that childhood anthem.
“I may never march in the infantry
Ride in the calvary
Shoot the Artillery
I may never fly over the enemy
But I’m in the Lord’s Army”
We would then end this declaration with a boisterous and hardy “YES SIR!” Complete with a dramatic salute and all. This little tune is absolutely part of my childhood core memories; however, it wasn’t until I was much older - like just a few days ago kind of older - that the weight of the words I have sung countless times over the years truly hit me.
This light bulb moment with the Lord came as I was standing in the sanctuary, praying over our city, my heart breaking for those battling addiction, depression, loneliness, and homelessness. And it was as I was praying “Lord, rescue these people! Provide the resources they need to break free! I’m believing for Damascus Road encounters.” that the Holy Spirit dropped the words of the song, The Lord’s Army, into my heart and spirit as the Lord spoke clearly to my these worlds to my heart:
“In the past, yes, I have sent my son and my spirit, and sometimes I send my angels to those in need. But there are also times when the one I choose to send is you.”
My initial response was “Ouch, Lord! Can’t you take it easy on me? After all, I am here interceding for the lost and hurting in my area.” But then the final words of the song resonated with my spirit - “I’m in the Lord’s Army.” I am not the commander or strategist of the Army - that is the Lord’s job. No, I am a soldier. My role is to be down here fighting on the front lines, following His directives. However, in that moment I had to ask myself the humbling and somewhat painful question of - What kind of soldier am I?
When I think of a soldier, the image that immediately comes to mind is that of a man, dirty and in the trenches - someone who fights passionately for the freedom of others with a relentlessness that screams “No man left behind!” This level of sacrifice for the salvation of others is something I admire greatly. There are no words that could ever truly express my gratitude for those who literally lay their life on the line for a nation of strangers every single day. But then, when I look at myself through this lens of a soldier of the Lord, I pale greatly in comparison. There is not nearly enough dirt on my face and it has been far too long since I spent time in the trenches with and for those needing this incredible gift of salvation.
Don’t get me wrong, those moments of intercession and prayer for the lost are valuable and necessary, but those moments are meant to prepare me FOR the war raging around me, not replace it or excuse me from it. It is in those moments of prayer that we are reminded of the way the Lord fought for and saved us, re-igniting that “first love” flame that has a tendency to grow dim over time, and re-aligning our hearts with His - removing distractions and barriers - so that we are able to hear the voice of the Lord clearly as He give us our marching orders. And it is when we are in tune with His voice and His leading, going through life with a focus on His mission and purpose for our lives that we begin to see the Zacchaeus’ in our own lives. Those who could easily be written off as just another face in the crowd but who are, in fact, a Jesus miracle waiting to happen. The only thing needed is one of us - a soldier in His Army - to follow the example of Jesus, deciding to step off the nice, clean, perfectly laid path on which we are walking, to get into the trenches like a true soldier, fighting for the lost and hurting in our area with a determination and passion that screams “No man left behind!”
Commenti