Raise!Vzorec

Raise up an army.

In the biblical narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion we find soldiers busy in activity. The soldiers ‘took Jesus’, ‘gathered the whole company of soldiers round him’, ‘stripped him’ ‘put a scarlet robe on him’, ‘twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head’, ‘put a staff in his right hand’, ‘mocked him’, ‘spat on him’, ‘struck him’, ‘led him away to crucify him’, ‘divided up his clothes’, ‘kept watch over him’ (Matthew 27).

The soldiers were doing their job. They drifted along, led by routine behaviours, patterns and society’s shaping. Perhaps, without any thought, they went through the motions, not understanding their dreadful day’s work, unaware of what their activity of crucifying Jesus was truly accomplishing.

We can be challenged that we too, as soldiers of Jesus Christ, can drift through motions with thought patterns and behaviours that are part of society. We too can participate in routine soldier activity and behaviour with little thought, going through the motions, numb to what our activity is truly accomplishing.

The life of a soldier is fulfilling commands of the captain. A Christian, given the title soldier, is called to be faithful in fulfilling the commands of their Captain, Jesus Christ. The Father of the army is God himself. As soldiers, we seek to be faithful listeners to the voice of our Captain, Jesus. We pray:

Raise up an army, O God,
Awake your people throughout the earth;
Raise up an army, O God,
To proclaim your Kingdom, to declare your Word,
To reveal your glory, O God. [1]

Raise up an army that is awakened and not drifting or living routinely. Raise up soldiers who hear the voice of their Captain and respond with fresh Kingdom living. Raise up an army that lives beyond society’s patterns, revealing God’s glory.

Together we receive the pardoning words of Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them’, for where we have failed.

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[1] From Hallelujah Choruses No. 39, words and music by Steve and Vikki Cook. © Copyright 1987 People of Destiny Music. All Rights Reserved International Copyright Secured. Used by Permission.