Guard - An Excerpt from Equipped for Battle

Imagine a soldier away from home for the holiday season. For him or her, there is only Thanksgiving with their fellow troops and not their family. Christmas season is spent away from Mom and Dad, and although the rest of the family will gather for festivities, they will be holding post or managing weapons or watching vigilantly for enemy attacks. They're alone, even when in a crowd, and they wonder, “Does anyone from home really care that I am out here? Does anyone really appreciate the sacrifice that I am making?” and then, they open the devotional “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” and read today's entry:

December 2

Guard

… which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I

know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to

guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

2 Timothy 1:12

The person assigned guard duty is entrusted to protect or oversee

another. The value of the property or person being guarded demands

absolute attention to the task. There was a time when guards who

failed to protect the person or property would pay for that failure

with their lives. We see an example in the armor bearer of the king

or commander of the army. If the king or commander died in battle,

the armor bearer would take his own life.

The ceremonial guards of Buckingham Palace are an excellent picture

of precision and commitment to the mission of protecting the

royal family. They stand at absolute attention and will not be distracted

from their mission. Their discipline and ability to tune out all

distractions sets the standard for all who serve both in the military

and civilian life.

Paul, the apostle, who wrote most of the New Testament, reverses

the role. Instead of mankind protecting a valuable treasure, he sees

God guarding and protecting the treasure in us. The faithful guard

will endure momentary hardship but will gain true riches. God sees

the believer as valuable and worthy of His protection. (1 Timothy

6:17-19) God will guard what we entrust to Him.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I am humbled by Your mercy and

I commit all that I have to Your care. In Jesus’ name I

pray. Amen.

For those diligent, sacrificial soldiers this devotional was written, and may there be some way that each of them and their families will receive one of these to remind them that someone from their home cares for them each and every day.

Until tomorrow...Why Say More?

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