AIM HIGH, Christian

It's been a while. The business of life; graduating two boys and assisting them as their adulting journey begins; navigating homeschooling an 11-year-old preteen and all of her academic and social activities; keeping up with my own personal calling as a volunteer in my community; dare I forget being a wife to a wonderful husband. These things have left me holding the line for dear life these past few years.

Today is a BIG day. My youngest son set out for United States Air Force Basic Military Training two days ago and today is his first full day at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. Things got real last night around 10 pm ET. I know what is going on, even though my last text was over 12  hours ago. LOTS of new information. LOTS of new faces. LOTS of rules. LOTS of yelling. No time for self. Life for the next eight weeks will be about assimilation, conformity, a singular goal, the BIGGER picture.

The trainees that arrive on base with long hair, personal opinions, unique family situations and diverse backgrounds will be poked and prodded, shaved bald, dressed alike, indoctrinated with the Air Force Core Values, Airman's Creed, Air Force fight song, chants and drills, chow time, PT, rank, military time, chain of command–a whole new vocabulary. They will be pushed to the limits of self denial in order to become one unit ready for what purpose? To preserve and defend the United States' Constitution, ie. FREEDOM for Americans–Not only in war , but in peace-time as well. What a great privilege! What a hard thing to choose. This is my son's calling.

The USAF montra or tag line is "Aim High."  It is interesting that to achieve that goal as an individual, to graduate, to move into a job, to become your own man or woman, to become an effective part of the unit, you must first be broken as an individual. Completely humbled. Submitted to the collective ideal and dependent upon the BASICS-Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do-USAF Core Values. 

 

As a Christian, isn't this our path as well? 

To be broken in order to finish well?

The Bible instructs us in James chapter 4* that we war with the God because we desire the world! We are to humble ourselves before God, and the result is that HE will exalt us! We must do the hard stuff, deny ourselves–our desire for money, safety, and time–submit to God as Luke tells us in chapter 9 of his gospel**. This means conforming to what God desires–listening to him tell us where to go, how to speak and who to listen to. This means death to self! In the end, this spiritual death secures our FREEDOM. By starting with the BASICS of the Christian life, we prepare ourselves for spiritual battles in the heavenlies that rage around us. As a result we invite peace to rule and reign in our lives. 

What a privilege to be part of such a purpose! I can't think of a more worthy calling.

AIM HIGH, Christian! 

 

 

Christian BASICS 

B

Be Real: You are a sinner.

A

Acknowledge your need for God's saving grace.

S

Say it out loud to your friends and family.

I

Immerse yourself in the waters of baptism.

C

Continue to grow in GRACE by reading scripture, praying and joining a local Bible-believing church.

S

Speak the truth: JESUS is the only answer!

*JAMES 4:1-12

What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? ² You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.

⁴ Adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. ⁵ Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?

⁶ But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:

God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.

⁷ Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! ⁹ Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

¹¹ Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. ¹² There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

 

**LUKE 9:23-27

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”