My sister and I ran into the house from the front yard where we had been playing. “Dad,” we hollered in panicky voices, awaking our father from his afternoon power nap, “Hurry, come save a life, please come – save a life!” Both of us, grabbing a hand, pulled him to his feet from the recliner. His curiosity had obviously taken over and he willingly marched with us to the front yard where we pointed out the impending death of a medium sized toad in the clutches of a bull snake’s jaws.
I wouldn’t say Connie and I were toad lovers, but we certainly weren’t endeared to snakes. They could all starve to death as far as we were concerned. It was easy for us to go to battle for the under-toad (in this case).
Dad didn’t disappoint. I don’t remember exactly how he did it, but he was able to free the little guy from the jaws of the disgruntled consumer.
This story is a good reminder of how we have Someone to go to whenever we find ourselves involved in battle – whether that battle is relational, financial, health related, or any number or things. Just as Connie and I weren’t capable of (or courageous enough) to free the toad and had to ask for Dad’s help, there are still battles as adults too big for us to manage on our own. And just like Dad who came willingly to help us, our Father in heaven stands ready to take over. In fact, II Chronicles 20:15 tells us that the battle is not ours, but God’s. I can imagine how King Jehoshaphat felt when he heard that the mighty armies of the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites had all combined and declared war on Judah. King Jehoshaphat’s small army didn’t stand a chance – not until they went to God. (Read the amazing outcome of this story in II Chronicles 20.)
I find it very comforting to know that God is not only willing, but commands me to let Him fight my battles. He is so much better at it than I could ever be. The outcomes that He orchestrates are beyond my imagination.
Until next month, keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.