With conflict and violence a part of everyday life, it seems imperative for you and for me to know how to defend ourselves, how to protect those we love, how to fight for the oppressed, the overlooked, how to fight for the right – how to survive. How do we fight fair or fight to win or fight to survive? There are all kinds of self defense classes and martial arts classes available. I could learn judo or karate or boxing. Assuming the correct stance or posture is essential if I am going to succeed when I engage with my opponent or enemy in conflict. The position or posture I take makes all the difference in the outcome.

In 1 Timothy 6:12, I am told, “Fight the good fight of the faith.” How do I do that? What does that even look like?

At this point, I confess, dear readers, a song is running through my head, playing loud and clear in my mind. I am even singing along because I love the words so much. Here are some of them,

“So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high, O God – the battle belongs to You! Every fear I lay at Your feet, I’ll sing through the night – O God the battle belongs to You!” (Phil Wickham “The Battle Belongs”)

On my knees, is definitely not the posture I would pick to gain an advantage over my opponent. And hands lifted high in the air, is definitely a posture of surrender to, not victory over my opponent. Or is it? Things are not always as they seem. In this scenario, my surrender is not to my enemy but to God, my Heavenly Father as I cry out to Him in prayer. And as you may have guessed, on my knees, is the posture of prayer before God. Babbie Mason’s song, “Pray On” says this,

“Stay on your knees, for that’s where the battle is won.” Ephesians 6:18 instructs me with these words,

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

This instruction comes after my enemy is identified and I am told how to prepare to fight against him with these words,

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11-13)

Most often, I am called to take my stand, by taking a knee – actually by bending both my knees and bowing in prayer before my Heavenly Father, who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me. (Ephesians 3:20)

So my fighting posture is one in which I am on my knees before my Heavenly Father, Almighty God. You see, the battle isn’t even mine – it is God’s. In 1 Samuel 17:47, I read what David acknowledged when he fought Goliath, the Philistine giant, saying, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

There is an account in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20 of another battle that had to be fought. There were vast armies coming to invade Israel. In response to this alarming news King Jehoshaphat “resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (2 Chronicles 20:3) Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he spoke these words, “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

Then the story continues, getting really interesting. Next we read, “Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘ . . . Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld;’ . . . Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.’ As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-22)

With the weapons of prayer, obedience, gratitude and praise to God, Israel defeated the enemy without a physical fight. Truly, the battle is the Lord’s. And when I join Him in His battle, I am told to fight it on my knees. I am told to pray for my enemies, to overcome evil with good, darkness with light, lies with the truth. I can do all that from a posture of humility and dependence upon God, the posture that puts me on my knees. Like the song says, when I fight, I will fight on my knees with my hands held high, reaching out to my Heavenly Father. This must be the posture I take when I do battle with the enemy. I want to be able to say along with Paul,

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

to that end, I will – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you (and me) in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

fighting the good fight, sincerely, Grace Day

Everybody needs one, everybody should have one – a pasture pony, that is. Now I confess – I had never heard of this particular breed of horse until my sister told me about it. Turns out, pasture pony, is not so much a breed of horse as it is a job description. So when I say that everyone should have a pasture pony, I am speaking metaphorically rather than literally. I am not suggesting that everyone should purchase a pasture and put a pony in it.

But I am suggesting that everyone would benefit from having a metaphorical pasture pony in their life. You see, owners of individual horses purchase a pasture pony to hang out with their horse so their horse won’t be lonely. That’s right, the pasture pony’s job is to provide companionship for the horse that would otherwise be alone. A kind of a rent a friend, if you will. This is necessary because horses are herd animals and they don’t do well living by themselves. Being isolated from their own kind isn’t good for them. Solution – the pasture pony.

The pasture pony’s sole purpose is to provide comfort, community and company for the main horse. All that is required of the pasture pony is their presence. They don’t have to be pretty (or witty or wise). They don’t have to be a fast runner or a good jumper or have a particular pedigree, they just have to be an amiable companion. I don’t even know if they have to be a great conversationalist. Seems like just showing up to share the pasture and pass the time, fulfills the pasture pony’s purpose. The main horse, the one that is the show horse or the race horse or the riding horse, just needs to know that he or she has a friend. They need the assurance that they are not alone in the barn, not alone in the pasture, not alone in this world. (don’t we all need that same assurance?)

Because companionship is so important to the well-being of the main horse, the horse that is considered the important one, the horse that was bought with a purpose in mind, like riding or racing or jumping or showing, owners are willing to go to the additional expense of purchasing a pasture pony for their primary horse. Horses, like humans, were not meant to live in isolation, separated from others of their kind. In Genesis 2:18 we read what God said about this,

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ ”

At that time, Adam was the only human living in the garden God had made. “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there He put the man He had formed.” (Genesis 2:8)

Adam was surrounded by every kind of living creature imaginable and all manner of natural beauty and every possible plant and flowering tree and fabulous food at his fingertips, but he had no one with whom to share this perfect, beautiful paradise. Yes, you can be lonely, even in a perfect paradise. Adam was. God saw Adam’s sadness and God provided just what He knew Adam needed in order to live his life fully and productively. Adam needed companionship, community and the comfort that comes with having his own kind around him, instead of living by himself.

We were created to live in community with each other and with our Creator, God. That’s why we, like horses, (and other animals) don’t do well in isolation. We are not designed to live alone. If we have forgotten this basic truth, this past year of lockdowns and forced isolation should have sufficed to remind us all of this. Not being able to be with friends and family for an extended period of time has taken an unexpected toll on our human health. People do die of loneliness, literally. Isolated, lonely people become depressed, some die from drug overdoses, suicide, or from lack of a reason to get up in the morning, lack of a reason to take care of themselves. Loneliness watches a person wither away, body and soul, for lack of human contact and interaction.

We need to be connected to something or to someone outside of ourselves. If not, we wither away and die. John 15:5-6 explains connection this way in these words of Jesus,

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

Branches need to be connected to the Life Source, the Vine. When a branch is no longer connected to the Vine, it dies. But while connected, the branch is able to bear fruit, be productive and fulfill its purpose. Alone the branch can do none of those things. And as a branch enjoys connection with the Vine, the branch also simultaneously enjoys connection with all the other branches. It is connection that allows the individual life to flourish. We grow in community, we learn in community, we find our purpose as we find our place in community. We cannot find our place or our purpose in isolation. I guess that’s why Hebrews 10:25 gives us this direction,

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

That must be something the pasture pony does for the main horse, encourage him or her. Earlier I alluded to the horse that was the race horse or the show horse or the riding horse as the one of value. However, it seems to me, there is great value in the pasture pony as well. The pasture pony may be past its prime, not able to be ridden anymore. But its value is in the camaraderie it provides for the other horse. What cost companionship? Who can put a price on the intangibles of friendship and emotional well being of horses or of people? Pasture ponies, though old and past their prime, as it turns out, are indeed priceless.

In these tough times, we could all use a pasture pony, a constant companion. And we need to be a pasture pony for someone else, too. There just may be no higher calling than that of a pasture pony – the calling to be a faithful friend. After all, Jesus said He came to serve, not to be served.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

sincerely, Grace Day