WAR AND LOVE STORIES: a divine irony

BY MIKE MAZYCK

There is a question that looms deep in the heart of some men. It is the question that, as young boys, drew us to toy guns and action figures. It is the question that, as men, draws us to epic movies like Gladiator, Rocky, The Patriot, and Braveheart. Some think it’s because we just like violence, action, and gore.

However, that is not the reason. The reason is because of this deep and abiding question that lurks in the depths of our hearts. It haunts us every day. I could not describe this question better than John Eldridge did in his book Wild at Heart: Do I have what it Takes? This is the question that lurks in the shadows of a man’s soul. Am I enough?

When that day comes, will I rise, or will I cower? Will I fight, or will I run? Will I be victorious, or will I be defeated? It’s the same reason we are drawn to sports and all forms of competition. The rules of engagement are clear, a battle is fought, one man (or team) stands victorious, and another is defeated. We are filled with joy when our team wins as if it was us who won. It’s because we are living vicariously through them as we watch, seeking to answer that looming question in our hearts.

There is a question that looms deep in the heart of some women as well. It lurks in the shadows and haunts them, just as a man’s question does. That question is: Will I be loved? Will I win the heart of a man? Will I be adored? Once again, Am I enough? It’s why they begin dreaming and planning their wedding day as a child. And in our age, as some live with husbands who have neglected them, it’s the reason they are pulled into romance novels. They live vicariously through the characters, seeking something their soul yearns for.

When we see these common instincts, we would do well to ask ourselves how they got there and why? Is God speaking to us? Oh yes! He is! And if you don’t find the answer, you will live your years on this earth only to come to an end and realize I never truly lived!

My friend, I will answer these questions for you if you listen. I don’t write as a proud man with all the answers but as a man who has most certainly learned the hard way.

Men,

If you call yourself a Christian. If you call yourself by that great and glorious name of Jesus Christ, our commander- in-chief, who has shed His blood for you. As your brother in Christ, I beg you to rise up and fight! Do you want to know if you have what it takes? You are receiving your answer right now! What battle are you fighting? Are you waging war in your business and career? Are you building your kingdom? Are you filling your accounts and slaying the American Dream? I ask you now, where are you waging war? Where is your conquest? If it is of this world, you have missed the mark. You have missed the entire point of the Gospel itself.

You will stand before Him on that day, the One who placed that very question within your heart, and you will have your answer! You were created to fight, yet you did not. You never picked up your sword. You fought the wrong fight. You will be ashamed. You were like that man in Gladiator who was in the Coliseum. The battle raging all around him. Instead of fighting, as that man did, you’re playing with your action figures on the ground, oblivious to the actual war raging around you.

I do not write these things to shame you. I was that man. I am pleading with you as your brother in Christ. Pick up your sword! Rise up and fight! Put away the distractions of this age, the pursuit of money, the pointless hobbies, the entertainment of this world, and social media. It is because of these things that you are being defeated by the enemy on the field of battle.

Fight for the souls of men! Fight for the heart of your wives. Fight for your children. Pursue Godliness! Throw yourself into His Word! It is your only hope of victory. Remember the words of our brother Paul, no soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2Tim.2:4)

Women,

If you are a daughter of God, I’m writing to you. We know the divine plan is that your husband would model Christ to you. That he would lay down his life for you. That he would nourish and cherish you. We also know this is not happening in some homes today. Do not fixate on your husband’s neglect. If he is truly a believer, God will have His way with him. Never forget that the relationship with your husband is only a shadow of the real thing. It is only a symbol of something infinitely greater. It merely points you to Him. Your husband’s love will never quench the thirst of your soul.

So, therefore, cast off the distractions of this age and pursue the One who has pursued you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) Theauthentic and eternal love story is at your fingertips. Throw yourselves into His word and be filled with His Spirit. Everything you are yearning for is on those pages. Do you see the divine irony of it? Men play with toys on the battlefield while the real fight rages around them. Women are reading fictional romance storieswhile authentic and divine eternal love is right before them for the taking. I am not talking about right and wrong. I’m talking about what you’re missing out on!Cast yourselves into His arms, and you will find that all the love stories of this world are not worthy to be compared with the adoration that awaits you.

To read more of Mike’s writing, visit MikeMazyck.com