Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday November 22, 2010

I am often amazed at how folks who say they are lapsed believers and when heartache washes upon the shore of their life in Tsunami proportions, a statement of faith of sorts comes from their heart. Ralph Waldo Emerson was such a man. Once the pastor of a thriving church in Boston he resigned as he could no longer serve the elements of the Lord's Table in good conscience. I hold him in higher regard than those who have the same problem, but continue drawing their salaries.

When Emerson's son died he wrote in his journal the following statement that I find intriguing for a "lapsed" believer. Emerson wrote:

"I am defeated every day, but to victory I am born."

The statement reads like one of Paul's bursts of praise when talking about the resurrection of the saints. Most folks without faith insist that death ends it all and thus the Grim Reaper is the final victor.

A Christian Victory verse that I cling to is Romans 8:37:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

They tell me the word "conquerors" is "hupernikion" coming out Super Conqueror or my favorite, "Arrogantly Invincible." Now having stated this, the Lord keeps our feet firmly planted on earth while our mind and heart is longing for heaven. Over the span of my Christian experience there are painfully few days when I lay my head on the pillow and do Not go over the failures, the defeats of the day. I seldom feel like the fabled "conqueroring hero" of song. The truth of the matter is that as a child of God via faith in Christ who loved me and gave himself for me, I am born to the victor's circle. How can a life of apparent defeat lead to the roses in the victor's circle?

Simple? Yes. Easy? SURE.

The apparent defeats are working together (28) and many positive results are put into my life. Through the defeats I learn there is a better way to do things, I am humbled and forced to trust in Christ even more, and I am taught that failure does not have to be final. To keep this from running into a many paged book I will run to the conclusion as given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:57:

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

When the trumpet sounds all in Christ will either be changed or raised, thus the greatest and final enemy is destroyed. Thus all born again ones are born to victory in Christ.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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