Around 1883 the United States marine corps adopted a new motto using the Latin phrase: “Semper Fidelis” meaning always loyal or always faithful. This phrase is sometimes stated in a shortened slang by one marine to another as simply “semper fi”. The Marine Corp website amplifies the meaning of Semper Fidelis as “faithfulness to each other, our country, and to the battles ahead”. Such a motto could appropriately and biblically apply to each member of the ‘corps’ of Christian believers who are a part of the body of Christ. In the matter of ‘our country’ it could be applied to our dual citizenship-the country of our residence or citizenship as well as our spiritual and heavenly Kingdom (Heb 12:28). There are many scriptural references and examples of loyalty and devotion to one another as fellow members of Christ’s body (e.g. Rom 12:10) and certainly the ‘battles ahead’ are already upon us in the constant fight against the forces of darkness which continually assail the church and community at large.
I never served in the marine corps and my nearest involvement with ‘semper fidelis’ came in the marching band of my high school in which I was a snare drumming percussionist who marched in many parades in my home city playing Sousa’s famous ‘Semper Fidelis” march. The drummers were the only band players who never rested during a parade march (we had to maintain a cadence/rhythm for the other band members even when we had to march in place for a time). We snare drummers were the only ones in our 120 member band who wore no gloves even in the cold winters since we had to be able to ‘feel’ the wooden heavy ‘parade’ drum sticks in order to play our cadences. We also were the only ones to develop bloody thumbs due to the constant hard playing of the cadences like ‘Semper Fidelis’ loud enough for the entire length of the band to be able to hear the rhythm. A small price to pay for the enjoyment of influencing the pace and orderliness of the entire band.
The apostle Paul was continually encouraging a spirit of devotion to one another in the churches and even a spirit of simplicity via a ‘complete and pure devotion to Christ” (II Cor 11:3). One writer in commenting on this verse says that “The apostle Paul had grown deeply concerned, dare I say fearful that some of those in the church at Corinth had been led astray from the simplicity and centrality of this sort of passion for Jesus. Unashamed, extravagant affection for the son of God was being corrupted by a different gospel that proclaimed a different Christ in the power of a different spirit” -Sam Storms, Enjoying God, August 19, 2008.
So many distractions today hinder our living a simple and fully devoted life to our Lord. Many of those distractions are good, or neutral, or at least not evil in and of themselves. However, they sometimes nonetheless interfere with our focus and allow us to be ‘worried and bothered by many things’ and hinder our ability to stay focused on running the race that God has set before us (Heb 12:1-2) Simplification of our life is one very useful component of building a strong foundation of seeking to be always faithful and available to please our Lord. This is of course much more difficult for a busy mother raising infants or small children or preteens who cannot yet drive themselves to their many activities. Or for a husband or father whose work requires much travel or long, tiring days that consume most of his daily allotment of mental, physical and emotional energy. And yet it seems obvious that if we actually desire to experience times alone with God even as we go about our day, for most of us spiritual wisdom would strongly suggest, maybe even shout at us, that there must be some simplification, some ‘stripping’ away of those many distractions that otherwise nonessentially increase the consumption of our time and energy. Some distractions we simply cannot eliminate e.g. caring for children or work requirements but others we can evaluate as to the value of that distraction’s’ contribution to our personal welfare and spiritual growth in Christ-like character and jettison those activities that minimally contribute to our walk with God or fail to work with the Spirit in transforming our character.
Martha was Distracted
When Jesus, with some of his selected disciples were visiting his friend’s home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Mary opted to sit at the Master’s feet listening to him teach. But Martha was busy in the kitchen with meal preparation for her house guests. She apparently valued meal prep as more important than the unique opportunity to sit at the feet of the Lord and hear him teach. Food for the body was deemed more important than ‘food for the soul’. Jesus said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part and it shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42) Jesus said to His disciples on another occasion: “I have food to eat that you do not know about. My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work” (John 4: 32,34). Doing God’s will, like food for the body, was what energized Christ.
Does doing His will energize you?
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, but do not do what I say?
(Luke 6:46)
CJS
Be First to Comment