Who will fight?
Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you. ~ Deuteronomy 3:22
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ~Romans 5:6
"I want you to fight for me. That's all I ever wanted." ~ Max from the movie Real Steel
Fight: to strive vigorously and resolutely; to contend with physically or in battle; to contend for; to defend against or drive back
To fight. To battle.
I look around each day at a sea of 275 precious little faces and see pain. I see pain from...
...an absentee parent
...a dad who abuses them verbally, emotionally or with a lack of attention
...academic or social difficulties
...dysfunctional family life or strife in the home
...a desire to be accepted and wanted
And the list goes on...
But the root of it all...to know that they are loved and that someone will fight for them.
If you think about it, when you are attracted to someone, you go to great lengths to learn everything you can about them. And if anyone should speak negatively about that person...well...let's just say that they better be at least an arm's length away from you! And when you have a spouse, you go to extreme measures to protect him/her from harm. You are willing to fight for their safety and their love.
Well, these precious faces that I have the honor of looking into are asking that simple question..."Will anyone fight for me?"
Will someone fight...
...for the injustice of abuse
...to find out why I can't learn like everyone else
...when kids are mean to me
...when I'm inflicting pain upon myself
...to find out the cause of my illness
...for my self-worth
...to love me as Jesus does
As Jesus loves...
Jesus doesn't just love us when we have it all together. He loves us even when we are a mess, when we are cruel to one another, when we are filled with sin and pride. He loves us even when all we are, and all we think and feel is exposed before Him. He still loves.
And He more than just loves us, He fights for us even when we are steeped in sin. He fought so much for us to the point that He died. His shed blood has been poured out on the battle ground of our sin. Of my sin.
He loved.
He fought.
He died.
And He gloriously arose from the dead, ascended into heaven...all so that you may intimately know Him. So that I may know Him.
You want someone to fight for you? Look at the cross and see the most victorious fight that ever took place. All for you. And for each child that is asking the same question.
The fight begins at the cross. It begins by laying our lives down before Him, by surrendering to Him. He will fight for you. And as He fights (and has fought), you will begin to notice that He will equip you to start to battle with Him for others.
Just as He has fought for me, He now has me fighting for my students. By standing in the gap in prayer for them, by taking the time to listen or offer a hug, and by loving them as He first loved me.
Fighting is an active word. I cannot sit complacently by. I have to come alongside not only these children but other people that God has placed before me...and fight for them...fight for them to know and love God.
Jesus fought and gave up His life for me. I should be willing to do nothing less than to pour mine out loving and fighting for those He's placed in my life. All 275+ of them.
Who does God want you to fight for?
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ~Romans 5:6
"I want you to fight for me. That's all I ever wanted." ~ Max from the movie Real Steel
Fight: to strive vigorously and resolutely; to contend with physically or in battle; to contend for; to defend against or drive back
To fight. To battle.
I look around each day at a sea of 275 precious little faces and see pain. I see pain from...
...an absentee parent
...a dad who abuses them verbally, emotionally or with a lack of attention
...academic or social difficulties
...dysfunctional family life or strife in the home
...a desire to be accepted and wanted
And the list goes on...
But the root of it all...to know that they are loved and that someone will fight for them.
If you think about it, when you are attracted to someone, you go to great lengths to learn everything you can about them. And if anyone should speak negatively about that person...well...let's just say that they better be at least an arm's length away from you! And when you have a spouse, you go to extreme measures to protect him/her from harm. You are willing to fight for their safety and their love.
Well, these precious faces that I have the honor of looking into are asking that simple question..."Will anyone fight for me?"
Will someone fight...
...for the injustice of abuse
...to find out why I can't learn like everyone else
...when kids are mean to me
...when I'm inflicting pain upon myself
...to find out the cause of my illness
...for my self-worth
...to love me as Jesus does
As Jesus loves...
Jesus doesn't just love us when we have it all together. He loves us even when we are a mess, when we are cruel to one another, when we are filled with sin and pride. He loves us even when all we are, and all we think and feel is exposed before Him. He still loves.
And He more than just loves us, He fights for us even when we are steeped in sin. He fought so much for us to the point that He died. His shed blood has been poured out on the battle ground of our sin. Of my sin.
He loved.
He fought.
He died.
And He gloriously arose from the dead, ascended into heaven...all so that you may intimately know Him. So that I may know Him.
You want someone to fight for you? Look at the cross and see the most victorious fight that ever took place. All for you. And for each child that is asking the same question.
The fight begins at the cross. It begins by laying our lives down before Him, by surrendering to Him. He will fight for you. And as He fights (and has fought), you will begin to notice that He will equip you to start to battle with Him for others.
Just as He has fought for me, He now has me fighting for my students. By standing in the gap in prayer for them, by taking the time to listen or offer a hug, and by loving them as He first loved me.
Fighting is an active word. I cannot sit complacently by. I have to come alongside not only these children but other people that God has placed before me...and fight for them...fight for them to know and love God.
Jesus fought and gave up His life for me. I should be willing to do nothing less than to pour mine out loving and fighting for those He's placed in my life. All 275+ of them.
Who does God want you to fight for?
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