This I know

This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:9-11)

This I know. Those three words make all the difference. What is it you know? Who is it you know? What you answer to those two questions might just be the difference between failure or perseverance in the face of trial or temptation. God is indeed on our side, but do we really trust that with all our heart? 

As a child, we'd divide into 'teams' formed by the wishes of two team 'captains'. The selection process would continue, one right after the other, until we were divided into the two teams. The ones you had 'on your side' made all the difference in how well the game would turn out, didn't it? Those selected early were usually the strongest 'players' in the sport. Those left to last were more like 'warm bodies' on the field. Those captains knew the strategy of getting the best on their side first, didn't they?

Is that the 'strategy' we have chosen in our daily walk? What does it mean for God to be 'on our side'? It isn't as though we choose a bunch of other 'strong' players first, then pick him as one of the last, is it? Where Jesus is in that 'line up' matters! If he is first, we have a strong team. If he is toward the end, the 'play on the field' may be a little less than stellar. 

Jesus gets first place in our 'line up'. When he does, the strength and integrity of HIS perseverance in the face of trials is assuredly one of the things we count on the most to give US the strength and integrity of perseverance we need to face our own set of trials. This I know - Jesus must come first. Time spent with him each day isn't 'carved out' because of obligation, but because of the shear enjoyment of reading his Word, listening to his voice, and communing with him. 

I trust in God - that is most assuredly because he is first. We can count on his strength and integrity because we have come to trust him as the 'captain' of our lives. We know his choice of engaging us in this walk with him wasn't by accident. There was a purpose to his selection and with that selection comes the assurance that we possess all we need to face the battle ahead. Just sayin!