Never to Be Defeated

It's strange how these blogs come about.

I was in church this morning, the service ends and we are filing out of the place, you know how it is...kind of like cattle. Suddenly, a kid of about 11 throws a paperwad (large paperwad) at another kid, misses and hits the ol' mailman. Well, I couldn't let that go, so right in the aisle, I stomped that punk's ugly little head and showed him that you don't mess with the mailman. Ok, actually, I didn't...but I did threaten to stomp him in good fun and gave him a noogie (and then had the other kid hit him with the large paper wad...hee hee).

I got to thinking about that...this paper wad throwing kid weighs well over 100 pounds, but I can still take him. My kids (11 and 8) weigh 85 and 55 respectively, but I can still take them both at once. Its getting tougher, but I'm still on top. My mantra to the 11 year old, in my best superhero voice is; "You cannot defeat the power of dad!!!" We wrestle and carry on, but dad power is too strong...for now.

But you know what? One day he's going to kick my tail and put me in my place. Sure, I'll be on social security by then, but still....one day both of them will probably be able to take me on their own. One day I will be defeated by my kids in a wrestling match. One day, this old shell of a body won't be able to take any more and will be defeated by the ravages of death.

The bible said that God loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to take our sins on Himself and die for us physically, so that we wouldn't have to die spiritually. Death may take out these physical bodies out here on earth, but that's not the death I'm concerned about. The soul of the man will live on forever. When secure in the love of God and are in right relationship to God through Jesus, we can rest in the fact that nothing is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:28-29). Not death, life, angels, principalities, things present, things to come, powers, height, depth, or any other created thing. NOTHING will be able to defeat us!

Also in this morning's service, our music minister sang an old Steve Green song called "Calvary's Love." I looooooove the chorus which puts defeat in its proper perspective;

"Calvary's love, Calvary's love
Priceless gift Christ makes us worthy of
The deepest sin can't rise above
Calvary's love "

I Cor 15 states that the last enemy Jesus is going to stomp is death. When time as we know it is over and Jesus gets that done, He's handing the keys back to the Father. The work will be done. Death will be swallowed up in victory. The cry (or the taunt, with an outrrrrrageous French accent) will be as Paul quoted it; "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY??? O GRAVE WHERE IS YOUR STING???" The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives US the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And since the devil won't go away, Jesus "will taunt him a second timea." Revelation 20 says that; "the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

My kids may defeat me in wrestling (maybe), younger guys will defeat me in basketball (not without paying a dear price) and the first death may take this shell of the body out, but the soul that God has redeemed for Himself by the blood of Jesus will never be defeated...never...never...NEVER! Thank you, Lord!!!