Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall.
They march each on their way; they do not swerve from their paths.
– Joel 2:7 (ESV)

When I think of warriors, usually the images of Mel Gibson in Braveheart or Russell Crowe in Gladiator come to mind. In these characters, we see courage, conviction and a sense of purpose larger than life. In the world of sports, we often see athletes compete with a warrior mentality. Former Major League pitcher Nolan Ryan is remembered as a warrior. The inside of the plate was his and he didn’t mind knocking you on your backside to prove it. Mike Singletary, the great NFL linebacker played the game with a desire and intensity few have duplicated, but most remember. His eyes told the story. Have you ever noticed how short most obituaries are? Everything in our life’s resume gets boiled down to a few sentences. How do you want to be remembered—Hall of Fame athlete, 500 career wins, championship trophies or a warrior who passionately loved God?

There is no retirement plan in our walk with God. He wants us to  be warriors in our faith for as long as we have breath. Jay Bennett loves God. A successful corporate attorney and founder of the outreach ministry Christian Oil, Bennett puts it this way. “My advice is to make sure you die in battle. It’s good to know what your desired outcomes and objectives are, but you never know what’s going to happen in life. The key is to live intentionally and with passion, for a cause that’s worth your life. And then die bloody. I plan to go down swinging; I want to die in battle.” Now that’s a model for life to strive for.

Heavenly Father, make me a warrior for You today. Strengthen me in the fight for things that have eternal value. Amen.