United for Victory: Sharing Burdens in Faith
Josh. 1:14b-15a "...but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you…"
How can we rest, when our brothers cannot? The burden that is now upon God’s men to fight the good fight of faith has never been greater. There are many who, even as Gideon, may still be in the fight, but they are oh so weary and faint. Gideon did have three hundred men helping him win the victory! But where are the coalitions of faith in our generation? Where are we uniting in great numbers and in great unity for the sole purpose of preaching and spreading the Gospel to untold regions of the world? Oh, that’s right…we have our coalitions alright, but are they not merely for men’s causes, and men’s colleges, and men’s denominations, and men’s agendas?
Please forgive the cynicism, but I only want to make a point, and that is this; we the body of Christ seem to be disproportionately more divided than we are united. It seems as if we are more interested in discovering all of the reasons why we SHOULD NOT work together, than we are finding the reasons we SHOULD. Don’t hear me wrong; I’m not saying that there is no unity in the body of Christ, but I AM saying that unity seems to be more of an exception rather than a rule.
I find it interesting that The Lord through the hand of Joshua had to instruct these men to fight for their brethren. I have to believe that, were the instructions not given, they might have never thought of it! They might have chosen to stay at home in ease and comfort while their brethren went into the heat of the battle for luxuries they have not as yet been able to afford. Aren’t we often the same way? When we’ve reached our goals, and when we’ve achieved our accomplishments, we have a tendency to prematurely enjoy the fruits of our labor, when our brothers and sisters in Christ have not the victory.
I believe God is calling all of us who claim to know Christ to be sure that we do our part in helping strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ for the battle that is ahead, and then march alongside them into their battleground to help them gain the same victory we already know. It is easier for us to let others pay the price while we sit in our comfort, than it is to rise up and help share the load of being in battle for victory together.
May God help us to get a renewed vision and burden today to do our part in helping bear each other’s burdens. No fellow soldier of the cross should be left alone in the battle. We should come to their side and help fight for sweet victory together!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
How can we rest, when our brothers cannot? The burden that is now upon God’s men to fight the good fight of faith has never been greater. There are many who, even as Gideon, may still be in the fight, but they are oh so weary and faint. Gideon did have three hundred men helping him win the victory! But where are the coalitions of faith in our generation? Where are we uniting in great numbers and in great unity for the sole purpose of preaching and spreading the Gospel to untold regions of the world? Oh, that’s right…we have our coalitions alright, but are they not merely for men’s causes, and men’s colleges, and men’s denominations, and men’s agendas?
Please forgive the cynicism, but I only want to make a point, and that is this; we the body of Christ seem to be disproportionately more divided than we are united. It seems as if we are more interested in discovering all of the reasons why we SHOULD NOT work together, than we are finding the reasons we SHOULD. Don’t hear me wrong; I’m not saying that there is no unity in the body of Christ, but I AM saying that unity seems to be more of an exception rather than a rule.
I find it interesting that The Lord through the hand of Joshua had to instruct these men to fight for their brethren. I have to believe that, were the instructions not given, they might have never thought of it! They might have chosen to stay at home in ease and comfort while their brethren went into the heat of the battle for luxuries they have not as yet been able to afford. Aren’t we often the same way? When we’ve reached our goals, and when we’ve achieved our accomplishments, we have a tendency to prematurely enjoy the fruits of our labor, when our brothers and sisters in Christ have not the victory.
I believe God is calling all of us who claim to know Christ to be sure that we do our part in helping strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ for the battle that is ahead, and then march alongside them into their battleground to help them gain the same victory we already know. It is easier for us to let others pay the price while we sit in our comfort, than it is to rise up and help share the load of being in battle for victory together.
May God help us to get a renewed vision and burden today to do our part in helping bear each other’s burdens. No fellow soldier of the cross should be left alone in the battle. We should come to their side and help fight for sweet victory together!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill