Across the Battle Lines

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

The United States continues to struggle in a season of political change. This recent local issue of prayer being challenged in the high school graduation brought it home like nothing else. Here in America we just take a lot for granted and assume our rights cannot be compromised. I think we see now the process of eliminating even spiritual freedom is too close to home! The impact of this new climate upon issues strikes at our core as believers, such as abortion, Israel, and conservative values in general. I think the wake-up call has been sounded in sleepy, small town Texas! Will we rise to the challenge and fight until we see victory or will we grow tired and distracted, thinking others will carry the fight for us?

The problem is that people have been held captive to the forces eager to stomp on personal freedom and rights throughout history. We have a sense of entitlement to those rights in America and our foundational creation as a nation is the soapbox on which we stand. As Christians, our history is even longer with the road littered with persecution and opposition. Like ants crossing water, we ride along on the bodies of those that came before us and perished for the cause.

There is a story of William Wilberforce and his campaign against the British Parliament to abolish slavery. During the course of his intense efforts, Wilberforce came to a desperate place of discouragement, feeling he had absolutely no more strength to continue. He was about to give up, when his elderly friend, John Wesley, lying on his deathbed, was informed of his friend William’s distress. Wesley requested pen and paper, and with a quivering hand, wrote these words,

“Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them stronger than God? Oh be not weary of well-doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery shall vanish away before it.”

John Wesley died six days later, but William Wilberforce fought for forty-five more years, and in 1833, three days before his own death, witnessed the abolition of slavery in Britain.

Do not grow weary in well-doing, for we can still triumph! When everything looks hopeless our God has opportunity to display His awesome power. Even the great men that changed history needed a word of encouragement now and then. Be encouraged, and be an encourager! You never know when you may enable another saint to continue pressing on or how that may change the world! God used the national network news, mainstream media, to expose the enemies’ position. Think how encouraging it was to hear how a soldier across the world sent a word of support to our school superintendent.

Friends, united we stand, divided we fall. We cannot let up, give up or throw up our hands in defeat. Our call to battle is standing for God against those who threaten our rights to believe and worship as we choose. We need to reach across to the pews on the other side of the aisle, across denominational lines and any other perceived lines of separation and fight together. In God we trust!