2 Corinthians 4:6-10

We are young,
No one can tell us we're wrong
Searching our hearts for so lo-o-o-o-ng
Both of us knowing
Love is battlefield

The timeless song from Pat Benatar, love truly is a battlefield. Life truly is a battlefield. Sometimes us younger generation can be looked down upon because we are young. Paul says, "let no one look down upon you because you are young." The young and the old both know though, that love and life is a battlefield. It doesn't take much to see that.

"6For God who said, "let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry aroudn in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

In this fight, we are hard pressed. At times it really seems like we are losing. Though it seems like we are knocked out, we aren't. God is on our side, and if He is for us, who can be against us? We may seem weak, tired, and heavy laden, but we have not lost the fight. Nay, we have already won, for we are more than conquerers! We are soldiers in a spiritual and physical war. Alone or together we would be lost, rejected, overcome. But we have a powerful God who fights on our side, and we equips us with weapons of the Spirit.

He gives us His light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. He gives us the breastplate of righteousness, and the sword of truth. For those of you familiar with the Lord of the Rings, especially the book, all are in fear of the Nazgul, the Nine Riders. One of the hobbits however makes the comment, that although they have the Nine, we have the One, the White Rider, who is better than any Nine. So Christ is our White Rider. He leads us forth into battle, the battle against darkness of all kinds.

It doesn't have to be epic darkness either, though that is certainly the kind I enjoy reading and thinking about. It can also be daily darkness, the darkness of a continuing doubt. The darkness of an illness in the family. The darkness of a continuing sin. The darkness of confusion and worry. Christ's light penetrates all these darknesses though. "for the light shines through the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4)

In the end though, epic or not, it is a struggle, a daily struggle, and an eternal struggle until Christ comes again. We already know who wins though, so we may fight with a smile on our faces and love in our hearts towards our fellow man, woman and child, knowing that Christ's is a love that conquers all battle fields. I leave you with these lyrics:

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks teh cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvaton glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

No strenght of ours can match his might.
We would be lost rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is he,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.

Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat'ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow'r us.
Let this worlds tryant rage;
In battle we'll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgment must prevail!
One little word subdues him.

God's Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes who fear it;
For God himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom's ours forever!

Amen.