Living on Mission with Jude in a Fight

Living on Mission with Jude in a Fight

 

“Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish.” Jude 3

 

There are times in our lives when everything feels like a fight. Our jobs are stressful. Our kids are running wild.  Our bank account is low and our debts are high. Our loved ones are not well.  We become confused by answers (or lack of answers) to our prayers. We battle dark thoughts, addiction, or depression.  We might be overwhelmingly grief stricken. During times like these we can be tempted to give up and throw in the towel.  We wonder if this faith thing really works. We shake our fist in the air and accuse God of not being there for us.  We find ourselves barely hanging on to hope by a thread. We all face battles at one point or another in our lives. 

 

We have to hang on and fight, Friends! Many things and sometimes even people will work against our faith. Hang on to Jesus. Hang on to the hope He plants in us. Hang on to His word. His word is called the sword of the Spirit, and that is just the weapon we must have for this fight. Fight to hang on to the precious gift that has been entrusted to us, guard it and cherish it.

 

One really great thing about this life of salvation is that it’s not something we’re forced to do alone. We’re not meant to do it alone. Remember, Jude wanted to talk about “this life of salvation that we have in common,” and “this faith entrusted to us.” (emphasis mine) We’ve learned that when we are living on mission – knowing that we are sent – we live with others in mind. And, the cool thing is that everyone else is doing the same!! So, we don’t have to be alone! We don’t have to be a solitary pillar of strength. On mission, we’re a family. We hold one another up. We fight for one another. We fight alongside one another on our knees in prayer. 

 

Let’s practice living on mission!  Put up your dukes!

 

Pastor Angela