Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:1-3 NLT)
I don’t know how universal the game was in the days of my childhood; days where you did not have the technology or toys that children have access to in present times, but one of the games we used to play was Indian wrestling. As formally defined, Indian wresting was “a form of wrestling in which two opponents stand facing each other with usually right hands interlocked and the outsides of their adjacent feet set together and attempt to unbalance each other.” Typically boys played the game and it was only for fun and normally did not lead to fist fights. It was for enjoyment and never, ever led to a desire to end someone’s life. It was for entertainment on those days where we might have been confined to the house or told to go out in the back yard, stay confined there and find something to do. So occasionally we would play Indian wrestling, competing, challenging one another to see who would be able to hold their ground, using all one’s strength while staring the opponent in the eye as to say, “I shall not be moved.” If you lost, you did not give up and you said, “Let’s go again!” Now that’s determination!
That was a game of old, not sure if children even know about it today. But all of us, children and adults, have been confined more than once in our lives. Sure, today it is the virus that has us in a state of confinement. But before this pestilence, confinement came in the form of other challenges to you, confronting you with difficulties and things designed to move you from your faith. Sometimes the end result was not like you would have wanted, but you were determined to show renewed strength, and you confidently told your situation in one way or the other, “Let’s go again!” That’s determination in the game of life and on your Christian journey where conditions try to conquer your faith and cause you to give up. I want to encourage you this morning to maintain your determination today. Maybe yesterday was a little bit challenging for you and who knows what tomorrow will bring. Yet, regardless of what lies behind and in spite of what lies ahead, maintain your faith, stay determined, and declare in the face of what opposes you, “I shall not be moved. I’m going to close with an extract from an old church song for you to bring to your remembrance and sing aloud today as opposed to providing a closing verse. Soak it in, stand on your faith, and be steadfast and un-moveable; holding your ground through our present-day crisis, challenges, circumstances, and any other “season” in your life that shows up to wrestle against your spiritual strength. Declare from your heart and not just from your mouth, “I shall not be moved.” Be blessed!
“I shall not, I shall not be moved. I shall not, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved. I’m on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved. I’m on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, I shall not be moved.”
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King