Journal Entry // December 21, 2022
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (ESV)
Revelation 12:17
I don’t really think about the furious enemy that is making war upon me. I don’t really ever contemplate the schemes and machinations of the evil one as he diligently works to destroy me along with everyone that is obedient to Christ. My great failure in this life is that I have difficulty grasping the truth that there is a mortal enemy seeking to destroy my soul. This enemy is furious, ruthless, and relentless. He only has one objective: to harm and destroy the people of God. He knows his time is short, so he is continually working to undermine and destroy everything and everyone that brings glory to Christ. And it is this hard truth that I find myself being ignorant and dismissive. Wanting to escape from this war and all the trouble that it brings into my life, I ignore it or I medicate it or I allow self-deception to rule my heart. I often want anything that will bring relief and escape from the constant struggle and battle of dealing with the enemy. I want peace and comfort when the enemy only brings pain and heartache.
I say all this to mean that I tend to seek peace in comfort in the wrong things. Yes, this world is filled with trouble and adversity. Yes, the enemy is relentless and ruthless in his pursuit of bringing war and misery. Yet, even in the midst of this, Jesus brings peace and comfort. The comfort and peace that Jesus brings are not an escape from the war. It’s quite the opposite in fact. Jesus brings his peace and comfort in the midst of the battlefield. In the place I now find myself, Jesus promises to be with me and to draw me close to himself. As David reminds us in Psalm 23, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” You see, Jesus doesn’t remove me from the battle that rages around me. His offer is to meet with me wherever I am and in whatever situation I am in.
This is true peace and comfort that can be found now. I can have this now at every moment. In the midst of the battle, I can rest secure in the loving grace and mercy of Christ alone. I can rest in the understanding that he is the authority and ruler. He is the one whom I can trust.