God Is For Us

It is interesting what motivates people.  Many sports teams employ "bulletin board material" of negative comments from an opposing team they will soon face to motivate athletes to make their opponents eat their words.  Knowing the odds are stacked against a team or player goads them on to try even harder.  The underdog doesn't always win the game, but when they do you can be sure they will mention it.  During interviews we have heard things like, "No one gave us a chance to win today..." or "We proved all the haters wrong."  After the Houston Astros eliminated the Minnesota Twins from the MLB playoffs, shortstop Carlos Corea said, "I know a lot of people don’t want to see us here. But what are they going to say now?"  Believing it is you against the world can motivate people to try that much harder to prove others wrong.

I have observed a similar sentiment among Christians as well.  Some identify with the biblical imagery of being a soldier (when we in Christ are also compared to children, bondservants, ambassadors, sheep of His pasture, the church as the Bride of Christ, etc.) so exclusively nearly everything seems an attack to overcome.  They feed off negative comments to prompt them to be even more bold in their witness as they follow Jesus.  They see opposition, persecution and trials as proof they are "doing something right" for the LORD.  It is like they are motivated to do their best to stir up others however they can to affirm their labour for the LORD is legitimate, opposed by Satan and thus approved by God.  It seems like without negative affirmation this battle-hardened warrior wonders where they fit in or what purpose they serve.  They feel more useful "in the trenches" employed in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy who seeks to slay them rather than training recruits in a secure base away from fighting in survival skills or to how to work together as a team.

While it is true in this world we will face tribulation and persecution for our faith, I'm not convinced the opposition we face is the best motivator for us to walk in love towards God and others.  Instead of being encouraged by resistance or how other people or circumstances seem against us, how about rejoicing that God is for us?  Paul declared in Romans 8:31-37 as one called, justified and was expectant to be glorified by God, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Paul faced many trials and suffered much for the cause of Christ, and the knowledge of God who was for Him made as nothing all that could be against him.  Paul was confident in God's grace, justification, Christ's resurrection and intercession.  It was the love of God for him that compelled Paul to press on in sanctification amidst countless tribulations because he was more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves us.  We can choose to feed on negative press to motivate us to godliness, yet how much better is it for us to focus on our glorious Saviour who loves us and gave His life for us.  Instead of glorying in the opposition or in ourselves to rise up against it, how good it is Jesus is risen for our sakes and intercedes on our behalf, that we can find mercy and grace to help in time in need.