Did you ever hear the expression that “we are fighting the good fight!”? I have always been intrigued by this concept. To follow Jesus we take up our cross and fight against the world. It’s very romantic if you think about it, that you’re a warrior fighting for the greatest Love the world has ever known. There are many kinds of warriors who have different reasons for fighting. This past week the Lord reminded me of what kind of warrior He has called me to be.
I watched Captain America: Winter Soldier this past Friday with some brothers. I enjoyed the movie because of all the fast paced action scenes where Captain America would send bad guys flying with kicks and punches. I was thinking to myself “wow! Captain America is such a great fighter! If only I could make someone fly that far with a kick!” Although I wish that I could fight like captain America, the one thing about him that I admire more is his ability to deliver a motivational speech. Captain America gave such a speech before a deciding battle where he said:
“The price of freedom is high. But it’s a price I’m willing to pay.”
The movie ended but that line stuck with me. I was thinking “man Captain America is so cool!!”
That night I went to church with brothers from my household. There was Stations of the Cross before the mass started. As the priest was going through the stations I realized something. That a price was paid for the freedom we are experiencing at this very moment. The price for our freedom is the body and blood of Jesus himself. There was no greater price to pay and He paid it in full by willingly entering into his passion. I also realized that Jesus is the greatest warrior ever! Yes more of a warrior than Captain America.
Jesus is a fighter like no other who won an impossible battle by committing the greatest act of sacrifice the world has ever seen. He fought for every single one of us in a way that He wants us to fight for Him. To carry our cross and struggle towards oneness with Him. To sacrifice what is of this world so that we and others can be made holy.
In this battle we will be persecuted just like Jesus was, we will fall at times but like Him we must get up a push forward, and like Him we must endure and persevere in order to claim true freedom on the cross.
What does it mean to be a warrior of Christ? Let’s take a samurai for example. In the same context that a samurai adopts the Way of the Sword, we as followers of Christ adopt the Way of the Cross. Just as a samurai carries his sword at all times, we carry our cross so that we can bring Christ with us wherever we go. The cross we carry is our mark as a warrior just as a sword is to a samurai.
As Christians we acknowledge that the price of freedom is high because we are sinners, but we also recognize that it is a price we are willing to pay.
Don’t get me wrong…. I still wish I could fight like Captain America, but I want to be able to carry my cross like Jesus did much more.
Lord, thank you for showing me how to fight for you. Thank you for being the strength to carry my cross with. Please be with me as I continue in a battle which I would have already lost without you. Allow me to carry my Cross to wherever you wish me to bring it. Amen.
