Talk, or Substance?

Whoa, it snowed again last night. This must be that winter thing we only talked about last year. For me the question might go something like this: Do you just write about the Christian life, or is there substance? We all have a form of that question directed at us, though it may never be spoken in our presence. Suffering people want to know, is there something of substance in this Jesus we hear about? Our lives must be ones that show that indeed there is a change that comes from our rebirth in Christ.

Few of us have trouble looking like keepers of the Law when we go out in public. We are known to be 'good' people, just like many others. The test of our substance comes in private when the world, we think, is not looking. What do we read, what shows are on the television, is there a secret stash of certain magazines or literature that would cause the world to say, "Aha, you Christians are just like us!" We know that too, and perhaps our home has seen a 'sin' cleaning such that no trace of our former sinful lives shows in any corner. However, we are like the world in one respect - we started out this life as a sinner enslaved to the flesh just like everyone else.

A bit of our substance must be shown in honesty. If your Ephesians armor is polished, shiny, and clean, then you are most likely a rear-echelon pogue who has never seen combat with the forces of this world. If we could see the Christian armor of a front-line soldier, we would see the patched-over gashes that separation from our loved ones in this world causes. We might see a few flaming darts that got through the armor and the suffering from those burning wounds. In fact, the Christian soldier may at times be found flat on his back from the dreadful assault of the enemy. She might be found weeping in prayer over the cruelty of the world's ambush. Soldiers who are in the fight do not always look ready for inspection. Look closely and anyone will find something wrong with the front line warrior.

If there is an admission of substance in us, it is that we struggle in this fight. Spiritual wounds lay us low at times. Praise Jesus for His healing and mercy! We fall, but God lifts us up again. We sin, but Jesus paid for that sin and grants forgiveness. We live in Christ, and we will win this war because the victory already belongs to our Lord Jesus!

Yours in Christ,
Bucky