God is observant of those who, with self-assured hubris, act like they can handle what life slings at them.
Rather, be on the alert, the enemy of love prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Note: the enemy is as a roaring lion — in TRUTH the enemy is a powerful yet futile foe.
As you take a stand against the seductive lies of the enemy he is bound to cut and run.
Resist him, cemented in your faith…and yes, after you have suffered taking your stand against the pus pocket, your faithful love consumed Father God will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5: 5, 7-10 paraphrase
You see, love stands. It takes a stand when we want to run.
Love stands up for virtue, truth, and promises — like in “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America” or “I Bud, take you Lea Ann to be my wedded wife” or a pledge implied to a newly conceived human — it is implied that we devote our lives to helping that new human learn Jesus’ way of life.
Love stands up for the sick, weak, alone, lost, confused, angry, aggressively militant, addicted, and the well-intended but often tragically confused politicians.
Love stands waiting for your spouse, friend, boss, pastor, to come around to see you, not just tolerating you.
Yes, love stands waiting while injustice seems to prevail.
It stands while all hell is breaking loose and trusting that God will make all things right as we surrender.
A stand seems so feeble in our times of aggression and automatic weapons. Even so – it is our simple stand, turning the other cheek, that is the spirit in the truth that power is perfected in weakness.
We learn that love stands when everything inside screams DEFEND YOURSELF!!! HIT BACK — HARDER. NO MERCY. REFUSE TO FORGIVE. MY WAY IS RIGHT!!!
Eleazar, the son of Dodo, a mighty warrior, stood his ground in the middle of a battlefield and the Lord gave him a great victory.
Jesus stood His ground in the wilderness as He was tempted by the enemy to compromise His purpose.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%204%3A1-13&version=NIV
Though Peter denied Jesus three times, according to church tradition, he was crucified in Rome upside down during the later reign of Roman emperor Nero around the year 64 AD. Peter felt he was unworthy to be crucified as his Lord was.
Don’t be surprised when you hear the whisper to be on the alert — in your heart cry out Lord help me in full assurance that He will.
Where do you need to take a stand? What is holding you back? Why not invite God into the situation asking Him to help learn the way of Jesus where love stands?
Pray
I long to love like Jesus. Open my eyes to where I need to take a stand and take it with confidence that You will infuse my heart’s desire to love with determination, my actions with heavenly strength, and my willingness to take a stand.
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