There has been a lot of sickness going around recently, causing many friends and family to crash on their couches with their box of tissues for days and days. I don’t know if it’s just one strain of flu or more than one, but either way, it has invaded and hit our community hard. Like an enemy force, these flu-bugs march into the homes of unsuspecting hosts, bringing with them, a relentless barrage of symptoms. It’s kind of amazing how something as tiny as bacteria or a virus can wreak such havoc in the body of a human being many millions of times larger than itself. On the other hand, I’m so much more amazed by the astounding response of the healthy human body to such an invasion.
I confess, I never enjoyed microbiology in college very much, but I am quite fascinated by the whole design of the human body and in particular, the way God created a system of profound protection. He made us more resilient than most of us ever realize. Think of it. There are a bazillion tiny, little, deadly warriors that attack our bodies every single moment of every single day, and yet for the most part, we enjoy decent health. When God clothed us in skin, He gave us a significant barrier of protection that almost completely defends our bodies daily. Beyond that, He created an amazing immune system in each one of us, which is always at the ready to go to battle at a moment’s notice. We have within us, several lines of defense, so that even if one barrier is penetrated, another effective back up plan is executed instantly. Flowing in our blood stream are diligent white cells called lymphocytes whose sole purpose is to patrol the circulatory system like law officers in search of invaders. Once a threat is identified, these cells immediately send out a 911 message to other white cells, “SWARM, SWARM! ATTACK & KILL!” The enemy force is quickly overcome by these common white cells. Cells called “phagocytes” surround the invading bacteria and literally begin releasing lethal poisons into the core of this enemy, destroying it from the inside out, stopping it dead in its tracks. God even went so far as to create “T” cells that detect when the battle is won, so that these defender cells settle down and our body stabilizes into what we call normal health. This is manifested when fevers come down, hunger surfaces and strength returns. Imagine it. We are typically oblivious to most of these intense battles that go on inside of our bodies, and yet we are victorious moment by moment, day by day, because God made it so.
There are times, of course, when an infection seems to get the upper hand, and we suffer with symptoms that make us feel awful. Our bodies are still working hard, but we may at times enlist the help of antibiotics to give us the edge we need to beat our foe. So long as we were relatively healthy prior to the infection, we WILL have the victory – yet again.
So now…the analogy. (You knew it was coming, and probably already got there.) God’s plan for you is victory, not defeat. The Lord is incredibly passionate about all aspects of your life and has, like a good Father, set up a plan of protective defense that for the most part, you may not even be aware of. He wants you to rest in the awareness of His love and care – and not worry about your next battle. I sometimes hear folks talk about their current battle with the devil as though they’re barely making it. I’m not dismissing the reality of trials and tribulations, I would just rather not magnify the enemy’s power in any one’s life. Plead immunity. We may see and experience very real battles in this life, but what we don’t see, is that God has gone before us, prepared a way of protection and defeat of our enemies. I believe He probably has divine white cells (called angels) battling for us day in and day out, and that even in the worst of battles, all it really takes is one breath from the Almighty, and our enemies are routed. I don't know the intricacies of the ways in which He has guarded and defended our lives so completely, but I do know that we can trust our Father. His plan for you, is absolute victory.
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us, than with him.”