2023-05-20 A Meditation on Personal Reflection

“7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Co 4:7–12 ESV)

Reflective, questioning, searching: the mentality of the soldier is one that believes basic goodness spells lasting quality and insight. We are basically good not just because we’ve tried to fast or to pray in the voice of a seeker and supplicant, but because we let the Lord into our heart, to speak boldly of His concerns, and see those match up with our newfound day’s Project. We are serving, and that is a message in and of itself, a message that aids in random day’s thought, to show us through to the Promised Land, through to the right zeal and good source of peculiar God-worship.

We may wrongly obsess over concerns insoluble with Christ-like cause. Concerns for family wealth and well-being, while not in themselves wrong ambitions, we also merge those sorts of standard fare with the betterment of the People of God. With the pricey exchange wherein One’s life was spent to turn a blind corner unto great light and goodness. Great Cause celebre. Great unexpected boon. Great unforeseen meager rations-turned joyful bounty.

So our fast. So it only works if it comes naturally, no effort to please God and Church Congregation with works of supererogation. It works if finally encountering that heavy weight of the Law, in our own conscience flailing and obsessing, or in an external accusation against us, or in a heart-felt desire to be “Better People”. That fast, just might have an analog rightly in the newly-sober-minded or today-inspired one not fasting; they, too, see in truth the patterns and right mechanisms of life. They, too, learn the sinner-until-dying mentality: that we while saved cannot just bank on goodness and light, but rather on pressing weights against our spiritual well-being.

So the soldier. Busy and mindful of his or her peers in the service. Strange vision and hope in the busy and hurrying along life in the trenches. Strangely inspired, wondrously made, thoughtful and peace to all mankind, the good mentality of the fight prepares and gives holy fast and significance, exploration, mindset of this being life’s ugly necessity yet plain hope, for the wondrous sake of those good vibes each of us do feel knowing we are along with peers serving in those trenches of the Spirit.