Sword Drawn

If the walls could talk in this house, it would deliver tales of swash-buckling heroes, stealthful ninjas, and space warriors and their battles for peace and justice. I’ve not felt quite as safe since those little sword-wielding fellas moved on.

It was on the plains of Jericho at Gilgal, God’s people finally made camp after entering Canaan; days of manna behind them, tasting the fruits of their new home. Oh, how full their hearts must have been to finally be on the other side of the Jordan River; at last in the land of God’s Promise! Joshua, knowing conquests yet to come, looks ahead toward Jericho and sees a man, “behold, there stood a man over against him with His sword drawn in His Hand … as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.” (Joshua 7:14-15). That Man was the Son of God, the Eternal Word! This life is filled with storms and battles, and lest we are lulled into a foolish illusion life is all rest and sweet things, we must remember -- war rages; battles within and without and the evil one never rests! “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12). What if, however, we see what Joshua saw – Captain of God’s Army, sword drawn in His Hand, ever ready to defend and save His redeemed. To His people, Christ is always what our faith needs. Whatever the battle – sickness, depression, anxiety, poverty, broken relationships, separations, loneliness, addiction, helplessness, hopelessness – the battle is His Whose sword is drawn! Surrender to win!