Courage of Soldiers

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

The body of Christ contains all believers who have ever lived, not just those who are alive now. When we suffer, we share in a common experience, not just with those alive today, but with all those who have ever suffered for the sake of the gospel. All the martyrs, missionaries, and pioneers of the faith had to face what we face. Let us have the same courage, commitment, and willingness to renounce worldly pleasure in order to serve God. Can you face the challenge?

Both Paul and Timothy were seeking to be good soldiers of Christ Jesus. All who enlist in military service exchange their lives as civilians for lives as soldiers. Once enlisted, recruits are expected to loyally obey their commander and to endure the training program. As a soldier of Christ, is your single-minded purpose to please him? In what ways are you carrying out his specific orders? Something to seriously meditate on.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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