"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day. . . . The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:13-14)
The song which we have been using to focus our thinking these past few days has encouraged each Christian to join in the battle and "Stand Up for Jesus." He has already assured us of ultimate victory, and in the meantime leads us into each skirmish. He gives us the privilege of participating with Him in His victories. And, at times, as we see in our text, He tells us to simply "stand still" and watch Him work. The final verse of this hymn relates the long war's end.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, The next the victor's song;
To him that overcometh, A crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
The strife will indeed be over soon, especially if we measure time on the scale of eternity. Until then, "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
And what are some of these eternal rewards? "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. . . . He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:10-11). And, speaking of our home in the eternal New Jerusalem, "the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face . . . and they shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 22:3-5). What blessings await those who "Stand Up for Jesus." JDM
