always near

If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning.

—Martin Luther

The world does actively fight the gospel; it is an offensive message to people that any, much less their best, effort is of no avail in securing reconciliation with God or righteousness before Him. The good news is that Jesus accomplished what no other person could, by his sacrifice reconciling us to God and qualifying us to receive his righteous life in exchange for our sin.

When I read the quote from Luther, my mind moved on through the world's reaction to the gospel (generally) to the world's reaction to me (specifically) as a Christian and the message that my life speaks.

Recently one of the men I work with was involved in a traffic accident. He was riding his motorcycle to work when someone turned directly in front of him. He now has one less motorcycle and one more broken leg than before. The results could easily have been more tragic, and although surgery may be required, he will heal all right, thankfully.

It is often said that people just don't see motorcyclists; in the past when I have ridden motorcycles, I've always assumed that not only do other drivers see me, they will try their best to hit me! I figured that such wariness was the biggest contribution to my own safety that I could make. In reflecting on this again recently, I came to realize that there is an analogy to be drawn in my Christian walk.

We learn from scripture, along with so much more, that we have an enemy in life. For safety's sake, a motorcyclist might think of other drivers as adversaries, but in the Bible we are told that Satan really is our adversary. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8.) I have known Christians who don't believe that there is a devil, even though the scriptures declare him real; there is danger for them and for me if I don't take seriously his cunning and scheming.

However, just as my wariness when riding a motorcycle does not guarantee my safety, the power to resist and overcome the schemes of the devil lies not in my efforts or resourcefullness but in God's protecting hand. His promise to never leave or forsake us, the fact that he, in the person of his son Jesus Christ, overcame the world, is safety that I can rest in by faith. My own awareness and God's protecting hand are seen in James 4: Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...