Christianne's Spiritual Journal

It's Christianne! :)

I started this tumblr out as a SOAP Journal (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) but it has since materialized into mostly topical writings of biblical passages or other inspirations I have had. I hope that by reading my questions, doubts, realizations and praises to the Lord, your Spirit will be encouraged. This is why I write. All the praise and glory to Jesus Christ, always.

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~ Friday, September 30 ~
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Finish Him!

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Deuteronomy 20:4 (NASB) 

I was intending this to be a quick encouraging verse on my facebook status, but then I realized that this verse has a lot of meat in it. And I’m pretty hungry (figuratively and literally speaking). 

So while I was looking at different versions of this Bible verse online, I noticed that most other translations end this verse with: ”to give you victory!” as opposed to NASB’s, ”to save you.” And then I was wondering which version to post up on my facebook status (it might sound ridiculous, but I’m big on diction and it matters to me!).

I decided to go with what I posted up just now. I suppose that within the context of Deuteronomy Chapter 20, it makes sense to go with “victory”. Almost all of the Old Testament books, Psalms included, speak of war and battle on a national or imperial level. Deuteronomy was written during a time in which Israel was in constant battle with the surrounding pagan nations. Much of this is evident in the books of Joshua, 1 Kings and 2 Kings. So when Moses speaks of God going into battle with the Israelites and fighting for us, it makes sense for him to say that God is giving them victory. Contextual stuff. And on a sidenote, it doesn’t really sound like a good pre-battle speech to say that someone will save you from your likeliness to lose or die. Men are the most prideful when they have achieved climbing the mountain without safety ropes. 

But as a young woman in the 21st century, I read this verse and I say that God goes with me into my battles, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me. Yes, in so doing He brings me great victory, but I want to understand first that I am in need to be saved. I understand that in all battles, I will lose. I will be overwhelmed by my enemies; outnumbered and outwitted. I am done for.

Somehow, I feel humility falls on me when I ask for the Lord to save me. Looking at how I pray, I’ve never really asked for victory; I’ve always just been on my knees crying, “Please God, save me. Rescue me. I can’t do this. Help me.” Rescue me. I like how David puts it:

Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. Rescue me from criminals; save me from these murderers. They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, though I have done them no wrong, O Lord. Despite my innocence, they prepare to kill me. Rise up and help me! Look on my plight! O Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, rise up to punish hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors.

Psalm 59:1-5

When we think of Jesus, whether I define “we” as the Church or as society in general, we see a man who stands with his arms open to us; loving, warm and forgiving. Jesus. Although the world ridicules Him and insults Him, the general stereotypical idea is that Jesus is love. No unbeliever can say that Jesus stands for hate, no matter how much they themselves hate Him. So because of His love, and that demonstration of His love by dying on the Cross for our sins (really take this in, and don’t make it just a statement), we can stand before God as holy and blameless. He is our Saviour.

But the point I’m trying to make here is that this isn’t the only image we should have of Jesus.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Revelations 19:11-16

Reading this slowly gives me shivers. Imagine this scene played out in a movie. It would be more epic than someone walking away all slowly while there is a huge explosion in the background.

To put it in terms our generation can understand, our Lord is gangsta. He is mighty to save. Our Lord isn’t a pansy, and He isn’t going to be the kind and loving Saviour for much longer. When the time comes, He’s going to be the Warrior King who comes to judge the world. And He always wins the battle. So the question isn’t whether or not He will save, but whether or not He will save you.

I guess I got a little bit off topic. I went from preferring the term, “to save you!”, to the Gospel, to Jesus being a warrior! But I suppose in the end, what I’m trying to say is that it’s definitely within God’s character to save. It was His character during the Old Testament, in the New Testament when He died on the Cross, today in modern life, and it stays the same in the future when He comes back to judge the world. Our God is a Saviour if there ever was one. When I have battles, I am assured and confident that not only is He with me during these times, He is the Warrior King who fights the battles for me, to save me.

I understand that battles are intended to make me stronger; to fortify my trust and faith in Him. By going into a study of this verse, I’m not asking God to take me out of the very circumstances that help me grow in Him. I just realize I don’t need to have a fear of the battle, because God will always save me from it.. if that makes sense. I think of it as a father with his child: the father allows his child to play plastic swords with another kid, but if that kid starts hitting too hard and starts pushing the child back violently, the father steps in front of his child to block the blows, rips the sword out of the kid’s hand and says, “Hey, now!” The father will always fight for and save his child, even though he allows the child to engage in plastic swordplay in the first place.

I love that I have a God who saves the weak, because I am incredibly weak. So thank you Lord, for swooping in the battle at just the right time to save me. I love you and I pray that you continue to rescue me, even though many times, I don’t realize I’m even in a battle. You are the best bodyguard I can ever have, seriously.

So Brothers and Sisters, don’t just look at Jesus as your Saviour, but look at Him as your.. Saviour, if you get me. It will give you so much peace. 

All praise and glory to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.