June 20, 2022
The Almost Daily will be on Summer Vacation until August 8th. But fear not! You will receive a devotional each Monday through Friday from the excellent Mockingbird Devotional entitled Daily Grace. Enjoy! - Paul Walker
“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33)
I am a sucker for de-motivational posters—you know, the ones with the photos that ooze inspiration but have messages that are less-than-inspirational. There’s one that depicts an Olympic hurdler, leaping his way to the gold, presumably. The tagline reads, “Obstacles: No matter how many you overcome, there’s still an infinite number waiting.” We all face hurdles—in relationships, parenting, our occupations—that call out for us to overcome them. Yet even as we conquer these obstacles, new ones arise.
This is why Jesus’ words in today’s verse are so affecting. They run opposite to the messages of “overcoming” found on modern airwaves and contemporary bookshelves. Jesus’ subversive message of peace and courage comes through antithetical means. Instead of giving us swords and spears with which to take down the bastions of Satan’s domain, the primary posture of those “in the Lord’s army” is one of prostrate, desperate faith. We “overcome” simply by resting in his overcoming.
Jesus’ words to us are not a summons to triumph over daily obstacles by the centrifugal force of pulling on our own bootstraps. Rather, his good news invites us to submit to and rejoice in his already-accomplished victory on our behalf.
We are not the fighters. We are not the overcomers. He is. Jesus, in word and deed, is the true and better Overcomer. He identified himself as the One who overcomes all. All darkness, death, and sin quakes as the Savior subdues all in order to accomplish his purposes in us and for us (Jn 1:4-5). And this is no “might be,” “I hope so,” “maybe” possibility. It is true right now, even in your season of darkness, that Christ has overcome the world, overcome everything that is opposed to the light, to beauty, truth, and grace.
[Brad Gray, Daily Grace - Mockingbird Devotional Vol. 2]
