Called to the Firing Line: Battle-Worn Boots

This battle that is the hardest is the battle of ease. We have taken off our worn boots and replace them with comfortable shoes. We think we've done our part and now it's time to enjoy the abundance of ease. Meanwhile, the spiritual and physical struggle still rages.

We are told the front line in a war is where the battle is the bloodiest. If that is true, when was Jesus' battle the bloodiest? The cross, the garden where He sweated drops of blood, when He wrote words in the sand or at the temple driving out the money changers? Where was the front for our Lord? I believe every time Jesus declared who He was, God in the flesh come to save the souls of mankind a battle front was forged.

Many have used that term, "front line" referring to those of us who are foreign missionaries. But I must tell you, it has never set well with me because I believe the front line is anywhere, anytime we give the gospel out. The enemy of our soul will not fight against us being religious anywhere in the world, but try giving out the gospel. Fear will cause our hearts to race, our minds will tell us we will suffer rejection if we speak about Him, excuses will come quickly on why we should be silent. We'll find a way to leave the front lines if it makes us feel uncomfortable.

Enlarging our field

Little did I know a battle was raging for my soul the day a Sunday school teacher from a nearby church sit in our family room and presented me with the choice of accepting God love for me or rejecting it.

Little did I know the battle would continue even after I accepted God's free gift and open a Bible to learn more about this amazing God who loved me enough to send His Son to die in my place so I could have a relationship with Him.

Little did I know a battle would rise up when I sit down with my family and shared why there was such a radical change in my life.

Little did I know how much of a battle would occur when we submitted to enter into full time ministry and later head overseas to serve the Lord. God was enlarging our battlefield.

The Battle of Ease

A few years have passed since all those battles and a new one has risen. We're back to stateside living where it easy to get to church, sit in a comfortable room, hear great music, shake a few familiar hands, eat at a good restaurant and then drive home to our comfortable apartment. We have been boots on the ground in two foreign countries yet it's this battle that is the hardest, the battle of ease. We have taken off our battle worn boots and replace them with comfortable shoes that don't like to get bloody. Our easy chairs call us to come relax, you've done your part, enjoy the abundance of ease. And all around us people are dying without Christ, in America of all places where there is freedom still to speak our faith.

My heart is convicted as I read post after post of those standing in the gap for God all over the world. Time to put on the those bloody-worn boots, lace up and get back in the battle on whatever ground God has placed me. It's not the location of my body but the location of my heart that equips me to fight the good fight. Like me, if you are His you are a soldier of the cross...lets wear our uniform with boldness and humility.

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Called to the Firing Line

Finding your purpose and being sure of your calling or vocation is often an exciting experience. Knowing that your gifts and passions and vision are falling into alignment offers a deep sense of satisfaction. But living into your purpose, your calling, or your vocation may sometimes mean coming up against opposition, and sometimes, that opposition can be particularly unkind, fierce, and even dangerous. What can we learn from people who have stood strong, even in the face of the worst kinds of opposition? For some of us, being Called to the Firing Line may mean standing up for our beliefs, even if it means losing our job, our home, our reputation, our comfort. In this theme, we'll explore the motivation behind these choices and how to find what it takes to endure some of life's most difficult callings.