Week 35 - #Prepare “Defend”

“Defending What Matters Most"

I Peter 3:14: "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,"

I have a passion for college football and all its pageantry.

The "Buckeye Battle Cry," to no surprise to anyone who knows me, is my favorite college fight song.

I especially like the last two lines…

“Our honor defend

For we'll fight to the end for old Ohio.”

Funny how I can get more worked up into my defense mode with just one word said against my beloved Buckeyes, but silent on many of the things I truly hold eternal.

In today’s world we are often quick to become defensive, over things in reality that are meaningless. But to the contrary we can also find ourselves walking away from confrontation regarding things that should matter most, and from the things we should be willing to stand up for.

What are those things that matter most to you and are willing to defend?

Your family? Your home? Yourself?

How about the defenseless?

What brings you to the front? What moves you to action? And when you defend, are you able to “temper your temper,” with how Peter describes in the last part of I Peter 3:14, “yet do it with gentleness and respect?”

No doubt there are things worth fighting for, all those things worth defending, holding such importance, mirroring in our head, the old cigarette commercial’s slogan, “I’d rather fight to switch."

What are the ditches you are willing to die in, and literally willing to fight to the end?

It always amazes me that I can post what I think is a meaningful and thought-provoking opportunity for other’s reflections, and get nothing but let me speak negatively about someone’s favorite team and watch out sparks will fly and often are not careful to mince their words!

Although I can resonate with their passion (guilty as charged), I often have asked myself the question, "what if the passion we carry for those worldly things we so love, and cannot live without, was replaced with the same passion for our love of Jesus Christ?

What if we raised up on our toes with the same fervor we cheer as fans in the stands, or in front of our 60 inch screens, screaming for victory?

What if we exemplified the first part of the scripture found in I Peter 3:14: "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you?”

DADs, maybe our best "preparation to defend" is to consider today, reflecting on what matters most never allowing what matters least to occupy our lives with an exhaustive and non-kingdom like defense.

To God be the glory!

DADs “get in the game”…

Today is game day…and so is every day…

God gives you! So…C’mon Men Suit Up!

**Today we prepare to “Defend.” Next week we will consider how critical it is to prepare to “Rally."