Be A Warrior For God

Have you ever thought about being a warrior for God? Do you ever read your Bible and think about all the battles God fought and how He used people to do so? God’s strength and power won these battles. Today I want to share an example of that with you.

Over the years, my husband Tim and I have had the privilege of serving at Roseland Community’s Good News Day Care, directed by Ms. Pearl Willis. She is literally fighting a battle for God in her community.

Good News Day Care provides free Christ-centered care for children so moms can get an education, work, and provide for their families. This is in the Roseland community of Chicago, Il. on the south side of the city. Gangs, drugs, prostitution, murders, unemployment, and hopelessness are prevalent. Good News Day Care provides a nurturing environment giving encouragement and hope back to the community.

Recently, we were able to take some volunteers from The Village Christian Church family for a 2-day serving opportunity at Good News Day Care.

During the summer, Ms. Pearl offers a 6-week long day camp, serving approximately 55 children. They arrive in the morning and are fed breakfast, lunch, and a snack. Daily activities include worship, learning about God, and experiencing fun activities in their community.

Impress Them On Your Children

While I was serving there, I was reminded of something from the Bible that Moses stressed to the Israelites.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 NIV

The Bible says we are to be devoted to the ways of the Lord. Our life purpose is to share those ways. We are to pass on his vast mercy, love, and grace to those around us, particularly our children. This includes not only our biological children, but all children.

Good News Day Care has written these commands everywhere. There are bookshelves full of Bibles and Christian books for the children to read. The children are taught to pray over all of their meals and snacks. The adults in their lives are learning the ways of the Lord. They are becoming mature in their faith, and attempting to guide this next generation to love God and to love others.

On our second day at the day care, the Bible lesson was taken from Joshua 6 about the fall of Jericho.

The Lord says to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and it’s fighting men.” Joshua 6:2 NIV

While we read these words to the children, they were lifted off the page and brought to life for me. God has delivered this land in Roseland to Ms. Pearl’s hands and she is a warrior for God. As our volunteers are serving, they are being warriors for God.

Little by little, she has taken properties on that block and turned them into land used for good. These victories for the Lord are by His words, His power, and His glory. They are evident in the beauty of her buildings and the lives that are changing from hearing God’s word there.

So, I urge you to become a warrior for God. When Jericho fell, there were many Israelites involved in the battle. Some walked, some blew a horn and some carried the ark, but all were used to tear down the walls of Jericho and turn it into a city that was used for the Lord.

Your service in God’s kingdom does not have to be equivalent to Ms. Pearl’s or Joshua’s, but you can certainly stand alongside them in the missions they have started. The world needs followers of Christ who are willing to help their church, local organizations, or national organizations spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and to be unwavering in doing so.