Defiantly, Unashamedly, Generously — Worship Defiantly - Friday
TODAY’S VERSE
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (ESV)
I really enjoy hiking. Growing up in central Kentucky and visiting family in West Virginia, there isn’t much to do other than hike, so I’ve grown quite accustomed to it. As further evidence, my wife and I didn’t go lounge on a beach or stay at a five-star resort for our honeymoon; instead, we booked a cheap Airbnb near the entrance of Olympic National Park in Washington and spent our time hiking through rainforests, up mountains, and around lakes. (Side note: It was awesome!)
Perhaps the most popular place to hike if you live in central Kentucky is the "Original Trail (Trail #1)” up to see the Natural Bridge in Red River Gorge. I’ve hiked this trail a handful of times, but I’ll never forget the first time I went.
The beginning of the hike is quite simple: a few big steps and a couple of creeks running down the side of the trail — nothing crazy. But as you get to the base of the Natural Bridge, there’s a part of the trail where you have to squeeze through a rock crevice that is only about 1.5-2 feet wide at its tightest point.
This stretch of path is officially named “Fat Man’s Squeeze,” and boy did I have to squeeze to get through. As someone who struggles with mild claustrophobia, let’s just say it was not an enjoyable experience. And if that wasn’t bad enough, it got even worse when several people in front of me stopped to take pictures of themselves going through. The resulting traffic jam forced you to stand inside the narrow crevice, keep your gut sucked in, and stand completely still while fearing the walls might cave in. I digress…
The bottom line is this: I felt stuck. Stuck in the middle of that rock crevice with people in front of me, people behind me, and no way of getting out.
On Sunday, Scott referred to Jesus as our champion, or our benayim in Hebrew; He is our man-in-between. Jesus stepped in and stood between us and the wrath of God that we deserved. He stood between us and sin, us and Satan, Heaven and Hell, life and death, between us and damnation.
And stuck in that hard place with no other way out, Jesus overcame it all. He paid our debt, died our death, and buried our sin. And yet, Jesus defied sin, Satan, and death by rising from the grave three days later.
Jesus was stuck in between, yet He conquered death, conquered sin, conquered Satan, and conquered evil. It is finished, as Jesus put it. He won the war.
Because Jesus won the war, and because Jesus deeply loves us, we know that we can be more than conquerors in the battles we face here and now if we call on Jesus’ name.
APPLICATION
Where are you currently stuck? What battle are you in the middle of? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Is your one more still reluctant to come to church? Call on Jesus’ name. Has the diagnosis not changed? Call on Jesus’ name. Are you stuck in a habitual pattern of sin? Call on Jesus’ name. Whatever battle you currently face, call on Jesus’ name.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for being my man-in-between. Thank You for standing in my place, dying my death, all because You loved me. Thank You for conquering death and sin and Satan, and for making a way for me to come back to You. I ask that You would help me to be more than a conqueror against the battles I currently face.