Tag Archives: overcoming opposition

June 30
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“Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city.  They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world — the work of human hands.” (2 Chronicles 32:18-19, NIV)

Today’s scripture from 2 Chronicles actually begins with an account of the siege of Jerusalem by the ruthless and powerful Assyrian army.  In order to gain tactical advantage, the Assyrians taunted the watch-standers of Jerusalem by insulting the Lord God — in Hebrew!

It should be known that Hebrew, in that day, was not a world language.  It was a minority tongue.  That the Assyrians would use Hebrew to taunt the people of Jerusalem is a great example of what modern warriors call “psychological operations” or “psy ops.”

The take-away I am offering from this lesson is that we, as disciples of Jesus, should not fear assaults on our faith, even when these affronts come in the vernacular most familiar to us; or when they come from persons with great standing or power.  It’s all “psy ops,” and it is designed to erode our confidence in God; and to persuade us to abandon our posts as sentinels and beacons of light.

The story continues: The people of Jerusalem did not lose heart.  They remained in the city, despite the insults of the Assyrians, and God delivered them in time from the Assyrians.

When you are in distress, stand firm.  Divine help is coming.  God will either deliver you from the peril — or through it.  – Luther

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April 19
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“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”  (Luke 23: 55-56, NIV)

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.  ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’  So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’ “Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’  So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”  (Matthew 27: 62-66, NIV)

On the Saturday after Good Friday, life continued. 

The women who were disciples of Jesus prepared to do the next necessary thing as best they could before ceasing all work in obedience to God’s commandment.  Meanwhile, the opponents of Jesus were also making preparations to thwart any “deceptions” by the crucified Lord’s followers. Neither friend nor foe expected what was to occur in God’s plan, in God’s time, in God’s way on Sunday morning.

As current-day disciples of Jesus, we should aspire to be like the women: Doing all that we can, while we can, for the next necessary thing before us; but always giving God’s word and God’s will priority — even if God commands that we stop, rest, and wait in the midst of the darkest day of our lives; even as the enemies of God plot against us.

In hindsight, we see that God used the women’s faithfulness in ways that tied together all of Good Friday’s “loose ends,” while utterly frustrating the designs of His enemies. Looking ahead, we must also be diligent, faithful, and obedient if we are to be — as the women were on Resurrection Sunday: First witnesses to the incomparable faithfulness and power of God.

We can be like that!  – Luther

Reminder: Daily Encouragement will be on break tomorrow.  Have a great day in the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection, and the fact that as He is, so shall we — because He said it, and has the power to make it so!  Lord willing, see you on Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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