Soldiers of The Cross

By Angie August 4, 2016 Devotion

Please excuse the “re-print” from an older devotion shared with you in 2008–it has a message for us today!

Tucked away in a filing cabinet is an orange file folder. It’s many years old and smells of dust, so I try not hold it too close, nor fan it around much. Inside are neat little cards I made a long time ago for Sunday School class members when Jeff and I were “team captains”.

Although the writing is a bit faded, all the cards are still holding their creases like soldiers ready to march. It’s been years since I made these little cards. The messages inside these cards still stand today. They are about Christ. About holding on. Or, letting go. Some are about trials. Some about the Cross. I even found one inviting someone special to a tea party. Even the tea party itself centered around Christ.

Sunday School was an all important event that you just didn’t miss growing up in our house. As a young child or teen, if you missed Sunday School or church, you must have been stricken with an extremely high fever, losing your breakfast or something just as yuky and serious. There were no simple, “I have a headache” kind of excuses. Why? Well, for one thing, we must have had the notion that we might need God on Monday….and what if He “just didn’t feel quite up to making an appearance?” I’m a grown adult woman who knows that God is ALWAYS in appearance–even when it’s not apparent that He’s appearing…. 🙂

My family was not holiday church goers. Nope. It was every. . . single . . . Sunday. Period. And . . . every single Wednesday night service and . . . if there was revival services going on . . . you went then too! Even when revival went all week! Why? I am sure that part of it may have been because “that was the way my mother was brought up” . . . but I think a larger part was due to her deep love for the Lord. So in turn, she instilled that same deep love into each of her children. And it took. Yes, even with me, after the rebellion was pushed aside.

She taught us that there would be wars. Battles. Daily. For our very soul. To be sufficiently ready, we must train. That training came from Sunday School. And from Bible Study. And Prayer meeting. It is the strength training that, we as Christians must participate in to be spiritually ready. At any time. The cost of not being ready?…. Not sure you can take that….I’m not sure I can.

Fortunately, among the battles we find many blessings. I know. Sounds hard to believe. But stop and remember back at each of the battles you have faced. I did. I found a blessing. One of the larger battles was in the rebellion of our oldest daughter. It was a heartache like none I had experienced. Oh, there had been some doozies…but this one was a “ripper”. Rip the heart right out of a mother.

The runaway.

The prodigal.

The too young bride.

The too young mother.

Then the blessing. Amid the thorns of the battle came the rose. He was sweet. Still is. Her training ground began.

We are all soldiers in the battle to win the lost for Jesus Christ. Sometimes the battle takes place in the work force…and sadly, sometimes, in the home. But wherever it takes place, we cannot face the enemy unprepared. With ill fitting garments. Without our shield of faith.

There is a song that will not leave my head. I can’t explain why it came to me…but it fits. It actually came before the devotion did. As I sat down tonight (yes at this late hour) to begin my devotion, it started singing in my head. I had not seen the words until just now, when I looked them up. But for some reason, I feel that they are for me. Maybe for you too.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus
As soldiers of the cross.
Lift high his royal banner;
It must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory
His army he shall lead
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus;
The trumpet call obey;
Stand forth in mighty conflict
In this his glorious day.
Let all his faithful serve him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger
And strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus;
Stand in his strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you,
You dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor;
Each piece put on with prayer.
Where duty calls or danger,
Be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus;
The strife will not be long;
This day the din of battle,
The next the victor’s song.
The soldiers, overcoming,
Their crown of life shall see
And with the King of glory
Shall reign eternally.

Hymn #451
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Luke 12:8
Author: George Duffield, 1858, cento
Composer: George J. Webb, 1837

I had to make the last stanza bold…for it rings in my heart and jumps off the page! I remember singing it at Vacation Bible School as a young girl at my home church, Carmel Assembly of God. Then as an adult, attending my mother-in-law’s church on special occasions, I recall it being sung by the little choir at the small country Baptist Church where she belongs. But no matter the sign over the door, the words ring true for all of ages. “Lift high his royal banner. . .His army He shall lead!”

Luke 12:8 And I tell you, Whoever declares openly [speaking out freely] and confesses that he is My worshiper and acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will declare and confess and acknowledge him before the angels of God. (Amplified Version)

Father in Heaven, this battle is tough. It seems to be getting tougher each day. We grow weary. But we cling yet to Your strength and grace. Fill us with greater strength, desire and passion to be about Your work. Enable us to hear Your voice, even the whisper, and show us how to obey and follow. Help me to lead by example, by word or deed, someone to You. So that they too would have life. Eternal with You. In Your holy name~Amen.