The Fight Must Go On

So yesterday was Easter Sunday. This morning, I took this photo from our porch:

What?! Rather than wallow in self-pity, however, something rather spiritual about the whole situation occurred to me. The fight isn't over yet! The spiritual battle goes on. Jesus has won the final victory, yes. He has indeed procured the antidote to all of our spiritual ailments and has conquered Death itself. He did it 2,000 years ago and he didn't miss a single detail.

But guess what? I wasn't around back then. I'm here now, suffering and struggling with my own sinful inclinations now, here, today. How does that antidote find its way into me, specifically? How does Christ's saving work heal and transform my thought patterns, my weaknesses, my sins? This is what Saint Paul is talking about when he says we must "work out [our] salvation through fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). We don't add anything to Christ. Everything begins with grace. But that grace must work each day in our own particular lives in order to perfect our fallen nature.

So no kicking back! No resting on our laurels! The battle is won, but we must remain in the victory by remaining in Christ each and every day lest we fall out of his saving work and out of the victory. Pray for me and know that I'll be praying for you!