Bonding Bonus

   But as for the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, …and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) …all of these shall have their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. 

Revelation 21:8 excerpt 

   During the wrap-up discussion by participants who had been immersed in military special forces-like training, there was much talk of the bonding that happened between all. The true adversity forced them to know each other on a deep level and learn of the trustworthiness and commitment level that could be expected out of each one, regardless of who they are in their professional life. The ones that were committed to the finish became tightly knit together as pressures increased and commitment was maintained among those who remained physically viable. 

   In our Christian life, we remain spiritually viable as we “trust in the Lord with all our heart and abandon the leaning on our own understanding. There is self-effort there. Not from our flesh, but from the faith that God has given us. As Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” In truly believing these words we get a bonding bonus as others materialize alongside and we become tightly knit. The unspoken words that are said by a glance and a smile to another when being oppressed by the deceit of the flesh and the rigors of the world say more than just verbalizing words that might be empty. 

 “The words that we said, are they living or dead, or are they only a part of the show?” * 

The understanding of each other, knowing that we refuse to give in to the influences of the devil and his children, are without price. 

   This bravery of faith sometimes involves “doing it afraid.” The believer who feels afraid but executes his/her actions of faith anyway might say, “I’m afraid and am hiding cowardice in my heart.” Not if you are doing it anyway. Looking past paralyzing fear with the result of following Him requires a high level of bravery. 

   In 2020, so many of us in the household of faith (permanently?) lost the handle on this bond of brotherhood that would have knit us tightly together in faith. Instead, we became afraid and deceived ourselves into inventing new supplemental procedures to operate under because the Lord was enough for everything else, but not a pandemic. We became divided between following Him or bowing to the authority of man and buying into the spirit of fear spread by medical experts and politicians, effectively giving our devotion to them instead of God. 

   What a dangerous position as we joined the world against the Head of the Church! We missed out on our bonding bonus and failed the test of faith. 

 *Kerry Livgren song lyric excerpt