June 15

Deuteronomy 20 In 2009 I had an English Composition student who was in the Oklahoma National Guard. He sometimes would miss class because of his Guard duties. In one of my discussions with him he told me that he had volunteered for active duty in Afghanistan. I asked him, “Why?” He said, “Because I really want to defend my country.” We have all heard stories of men and women who have done things like that because they love the glory of their country. That young man was rare. As I think about this chapter, how is it that the Lord could give so many opportunities for a man to get out of serving in the army and Israel would still be able to field an army? Look at the reasons listed which would keep a man out of the army: If he just built a new house, if he just planted a new vineyard, if he just got engaged, if he is afraid, all of these disqualified him from serving in the Lord’s army. Is there really anyone who is not afraid before going into combat? What drives a man to not be afraid? Certainly there are a number of factors that can subdue fear so that a man might not sense it. Adrenaline can do that, but you already have to be in the heat of battle to get the adrenaline. Hate can do that. One can be so overcome with hatred for an enemy that fear is funneled into the hate making the desire to kill, maim or destroy become even stronger. Fear is lost in a surge of hatred. Another thing that can drive a man to not be afraid is a strong sense of invincibility. What could cause a man to have a strong sense of invincibility? What is invincibility? Invincibility is that from of an eternal viewpoint, I know I will be better off eternally than I am now, no matter what happens between now and then. What would give the men of Israel a sense of invincibility? Would it not be that one understood that in the sight of the Eternal, Infinite, Almighty, All-compassionate God, one is fully loved and accepted, and that He is with me? It has much to do with His glory. My concept of God really does shape my emotions and my sense of security. What good would be a god who is not any of the things I just listed? Then again if I fully understood that He is all those things but was not convinced that I am fully loved and accepted and that He is with me, then what good would that be to me? The glory of Jesus is that the Eternal, Infinite, Almighty, All-compassionate God became flesh like me so that I could become fully loved and accepted to Him. When I become fully loved and accepted to Him, He is always with me. When I fully begin to grasp those things, it begins to give me a sense of invincibility. Wow! I can endure anything! Even so, I don’t think I will volunteer for Afghanistan, but I will volunteer for service in the Lord’s army! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john