19 January, Wednesday – Who are you battling with?

Wednesday of Week 2 in Ordinary Time

1 Sam 17:32-33,37,40-51
Mk 3:1-6

…for the Lord is Lord of the battle…

I must be at the age in life (that most everyone in every generation reaches); that age when it just seems that the world is going to hell in a handbasket; that age when it seems we are living like Sodom and Gomorrah; that age when it seems that darkness is becoming so prevalent that the end of the world must be just around the corner, because how much worse can things really get?

As we enter 2022, it honestly feels as if the whole world might be losing to Goliath, doesn’t it? The majority of the world seems to be choosing DARKNESS/SELF – over the light of God. We’re choosing muck over majesty at every turn. We are fighting battles on every front, at every turn; even when we’re standing still there are battles all around – at the least we are constantly in the crossfire. Personal battles, battling with and within ‘our’ group/s. We are all fighting battle upon battle in this war on earth. This war of good vs evil. 

Has it ever really been any different?

Scripture tells us that the battle is God’s, and He’s already won. So why do we live and fight scared Lonely? Defeated? Why do we wonder how it’s going to end? Why do we waste time living in constant anxiety about tomorrow instead of working for a better world with LOVE and TRUTH in every word and action today?

Good vs Evil.

It is so much bigger than me – can I really make a difference? How often are we fighting a battle –fighting darkness on our own — unlike David who knew “..the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.” Why do we use so much energy — negative energy — on fighting alone in this world, and so little energy in connecting with God to do His work for His Kingdom? In this ongoing battle of Good vs Evil, we find a young shepherd boy with little skill, little strength and little education ready and willing to fight the good fight in the name of the Lord. How can we prepare each day to live as David did? A boy who did his work unto the Lord; lived his life unto the Lord.

In America, and I imagine most of the world, we live our lives unto ourselves, our bank accounts, our status, our retirement plans, our networking circles, our social circles, our sports, our bodies…our…. our….our. And yes, us ‘good’ Christians give an hour a week to church, and maybe even another hour or two to a bible study or small group or ministry. But for the other 165-167 hours, we live unto OURSELF, do we not? And if we are living like that, then it does stand to reason that we are battling like that….unto ourself. And that is a battle that we are not guaranteed to win; and even if we do, what we win may not necessarily be what we thought the ‘prize’ for winning would be. 

In our world today of 24/7 noise, it seems we have loud groups. Loud, continuous noise. A loud group of people living ‘high’ (and they seem like they are having a good time in a life of fame/fortune/fun) in the darkness of vast errors and atrocities. And we have another loud group calling out the sins of this group. And we have another loud group telling that group to ‘shut up, mind their own business, be tolerant to every bit of difference, to stop labelling people and actions as bad’, etc. And we have many other small groups somewhat oblivious to these other large groups. They are oblivious because they are either living in true poverty, or they are living in a pretty nice environment and choose not to pay attention/get involved/mess up their perfect little days. And another group that is constantly praying for all of us. I imagine all these groups were around when David stood in front of Goliath. I’m certain that David was in that last group, constantly praying for all of us; and in that position, he could hear God.   

And from that position, he rose and glorified God by being available for God.

In this year of 2022, I am praying that those of us who have met God will position ourselves as David did. Each of us has a slingshot and a few rocks and a calling; each of us can be his hands and feet; each of us has a giant to conquer in this battle that is the Lord’s.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)

Prayer: Father God, help me to lay down my will so that I too will be among the saints.

Thanksgiving: Thank you Father, for all the angels and saints by our side, fighting the battle for us.  Thank you for never leaving us to fight alone.