Commanding Officer

You are a soldier. You live a life of rules, (of sorts) and one that is devoted to a cause. You believe in your cause, or wouldn't be here. You wouldn't answer to who you answer to if you didn't care about what you stood for. The things that go on around you that do not involve your days orders, do not matter so much as getting done what you commanding officer has instructed you to do. The rest, is just civilian affairs....and you do not work to please the sidelines...you work to please the one in charge. If you get distracted by what takes place from the left or to the right, you may loose sight of whats ahead. And if you allow the civilian affairs to steal your attention, your affection, and you concern...you may end up dead.

That's what Paul tells me in 2 Timothy 2: 1-4

You then my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardships with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus, No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs- he wants to please his commanding officer.

So as a believer, what does it mean to get distracted by "civilian affairs?" Anyone who is not God, is a civilian in our world. It means, that if we allow Satan to distract us with petty fights, annoyances, grievances and people who disrupt our peace, and therefore take our eyes off of the orders Christ has given us to follow, we are becoming a soul who heeds the civilian more than our commanding officer. I had a situation like this earlier this week that I had to repent of. I knew it was wrong the second I did it. I said it anyway though. I thought it anyway. I allowed another person to "get" at me. (unbeknownst to them) and allowed Satan to use my mouth as I sinned. I said something that probably caused the civilian some lack of peace in their mind as well. It was wrong, and I was distracted by what was not important. GOD has bigger plans for my mouth, my thoughts and my motives. He wants me to devote all those things, to HIM alone. To not waste time, energy or breath being annoyed, disgruntled...or judgemental. God wants my affections to be for the things that He stands for..the cause of Christ: to endure hardship for Him with uprightness...to be in pursuit of HOLINESS so that I can represent the cross of Christ in the way it deserves to be represented. I am a solider. I have no room for distractions. If I get distracted, my enemy might win. He may get a foothold. I have to always be on my guard, and stand in HIS strength alone, so that even when I slumber, I have the knowledge that I am doing what is honoring to my commanding officer. He is the one I live for, fight for, speak for and die for. It's for the cause of Christ, it's what I base all I am, all I do, all I say, and all I consider worthwhile. It's extreme. I know. It's intense. For sure. But it's the only thing that's real. It's the only thing that matters...and it's the only thing that at the end of the day strengthens me in my weakness, revives me in my struggle, awakens me from my sleep and feeds my hunger. Who is my commanding officer...Jesus Christ...Prince of PEACE...everlasting JOY....exalted ONE! mighty to SAVE...THE ONE WHO WINS. The only one I can trust...follow and listen to without FEAR. I fear not the night, because I know whom I am in company with. I do shutter at the thought of death because I know who holds my life...I do not quake at the sound of darkness, because I know who wins in the end. Soldier, do not loose hope...do not get distracted by things of this earth that do not matter. Trust God, follow HIS lead in ALL you do, ANSWER to HIM alone and there dear soldier, you will find your REST.