The Boys and Their Toys

I’m pretty sure the arms race is fueled from our attic.

The playroom contains an arsenal.  Ninja stars, light sabers, battle-axes, katana blades, Nerf sniper guns, crossbows, Transformer blasters, nunchucks, glocks, pirate swords, batarangs, tridents, reported nukes…

You need it – the boys have it. 

They have it and they’ve tested it. 

Our walls display daily reminders of these epic battles.  

Finally, enough was enough.  Over the weekend I set out to right the wrongs.  Armed with a single sponge brush I was determined to touch up EVERY ding and scuffmark. 

If only it were that easy. 

Better lighting afforded closer examination. 

The scuffmarks had scuffmarks, 

collateral damage in their ongoing skirmish.

Yet while painting I was reminded: with better Lighting comes the realization we bear the marks of warfare. 

We’ve still got scuffmarks.  The subtleties of our rebellion leave their mark and the further we draw into Christ the more unnerving this truth becomes.  No matter how faithfully we’ve walked with God - He is ever calling us into greater depths of communion.  He is still at work in our soul.  And the unbelievable news is that God’s grace not only saves, it sustains.  It transforms.

Know this.  Greater than the shame, guilt, and regret is this truth: God is faithful to complete the work He began (Philippians 1:6).  The very Spirit of Christ will empower us such that our interest in and capacity for righteous obedience will radically deepen.  Indeed, as we submit to our Father varying degrees of Christ’s glory will begin to shine through us as we seek to walk as Christ walked (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; I John 2:6). 

Whatever battle may have beset you, press on.  Whatever sin might be of particular challenge, persevere.  Get up and make the hard choice.  Choose to walk in the light as He is in the light.  It is certainly not with flesh and blood that we strive.  Nevertheless, be assured of our eternal Advocate.  His voice drowns our Enemy.  And as our Accuser has no heavenly audience, let us also turn a deaf ear for in Christ we have been forgiven (I John 2:1; Revelation 12:10). We are freed to follow.

Grace and Peace.

Along these lines, I recommend the current sermon series being preached by Bobby Hile - Walk in the Light.  It is an expositional study of I John and since he’s only three weeks in you’re not too late to follow!